Reservation For You, Me and Everyone Else
by itsnotaboutlove
Summary: Being a chef is stressful. Being a chef in love with your co-workers sister is potential suicide. Or the start of a world war. Either way, it's a recipe for disaster... right? AU setting. Please R/R!
1. Chapter 1

"I can't even begin to tell you how shitty that dish looks!"

Jim looked up from his masterpiece of chicken and lemon risotto, glaring at the bust boy.

"That sink is looking pretty filthy right now," he glanced at the spotless sink. "Maybe you should give it another rinse before Boyce has your balls on a platter."

Pavel yelped and quickly hopped off the counter and rand to the sink, flipping the tap on and grabbing the bottle of soap.

"That was mean, Kirk," Hikaru said, as he came out of the freezer with a crate of dough. "We all know Pike would have his balls on a silver platter!"

Jim snorted as he continued putting his dish together, "At least Pike would wait to dismember him for a week."

"Ah, I don't know," Hikaru shrugged, as he set the frozen pieces of dough onto the counter. "With Boyce breathing down his neck about the revised menu and the new vendors he ordered from, I think Pike is ready to physically harm anyone that walks into his kitchen.

"I'd pay big bucks to see him and Bones go at it," Jim moved to the stove. "Bones' is an expert with the cleaver, while Pike has his girly blade."

The door to the kitchen swung open and Nyota came in with a bag of flour in her arms, "I do hope I'm not interrupting your _wonderful _conversation," she grunted, swinging the bag of flour onto her workspace. "But some of us have things to do."

Hikaru rolled his eyes, "Like what? Bake another boring quiche?" he asked, making her glare.

"Says the man that uses frozen dough to make his rosemary and sea salt loaves of bread," she shot back. "Too bad it doesn't say that on the menu."

Jim sighed, "Enough!" he shouted. "The last thing we need is Boyce coming back here and threatening to dock our pay, because you two got into a bitch fight!" he snapped. "Nyota, bake your damn quiche! Sulu make your damn bread! The others should here soon and we need to have half of the menu ready before our lord and savior comes in!"

Hikaru and Nyota glared and grumbled, as they moved around to fetch their supplies from the pantry and refrigerator. Jim shook his head and he grabbed his portion of the menu that he was responsible for, and headed to the refrigerator. It was going to be a long afternoon.

…

"Who the fuck ordered this cheap ass steak? How the fuck am I supposed to cut this shit when it falls apart faster than a hooker droppin' her panties?"

Jim snickered as Bones ranted about the quality of the latest shipment of beef, which wasn't good. But Bones had no one to blame for this but himself, considering the fact that he threatened to stab the vendor the week before for bringing organic chicken instead of non-organic chicken.

"Just use a different knife!" Scotty shouted as he moved past the chaos, with a crate of various Vodkas and Whiskeys. "You went to school for this shit, lad. You know what ta do!"

"Here, here!" Hikaru shouted, raising a potholder in the air. "You're a pro Len," he moved to the oven. "If you couldn't turn that shitty steak into a masterpiece, no one could!"

Bones grumbled, "Keep suckin' up, kid," he warned. "I still find you annoying."

Hikaru winced, "Oh, how you have wounded me!" he cried, in mock outrage.

The group began to bicker as the door opened, "Hey!" they all turned their attention to the authoritative voice that boomed throughout the kitchen. "Why are we having fun here? We have food to cook and the doors open in two hours!"

"Pike!" Jim called out, grinning. "My man! We started to worry about you!"

Chris pulled off his coat and tossed it into the small office with the others, "I'm sure you all were, Kirk," he said, grabbing an apron off the hook. "How many dishes did you burn that I have to fix?" he asked.

Jim grinned sheepishly, "Only three," he offered, as the older man fixed him with a stare. "Oh alright, I fucked up on the pecan glaze for the chicken and I think I overcooked the chicken for the chicken francese."

Chris rolled his eyes, "Let me see this mess and then we'll work with what we've got," he said, moving to wash his hands. "And this sink isn't spotless! Where the hell is that kid?" he asked, washing his hands. "The last thing I need is Phil screaming about how unsanitary we are being in this kitchen!"

…..

It was a little after two when Leonard got home, dropping his coat and scarf in the entry way of the house.

w

"Len?" a voice called out. "Is that you?"

Leonard cursed as he toed off his boots, "What are you doing up, Mel?" he asked. "It's late and you have work tomorrow!"

A few seconds later, Melanie stepped into the hall with a cup in her hand. "I figured you'd want some hot coco," she shrugged. "I made it just a few minutes ago."

With a sigh, Leonard made his way down the hall and took the cup from her, kissing the side of her head. "I put a little brandy in there too."

"You know me too well," he said, taking a sip. "Goddamn this is good."

Melanie smiled and moved into the living room, picking up the various coloring books and toys off the floor. "How was work?" she asked, sitting down on the sofa.

Leonard followed her and sat next to her, setting his feet up onto the coffee table with a sigh. "What do you want to hear first? How shitty the meat was to deal with or how Kirk managed to fuck up half of his menu?" he asked, looking over at her. "Or, do you want to hear how Ny almost stabbed a waitress for dropping her plate of spinach and kale quiche?"

"That bad, huh?" she asked, as he nodded.

"I can't take another second of that place," he grunted, taking another sip from his drink. "I didn't leave Georgia to work with a bunch of goons."

Melanie sighed, "There's a lot of things you didn't leave Georgia for, Len," she pointed out. "It'll get better eventually. It's only been six months."

Leonard sighed, "Would you be mad if I accidently killed someone?" he asked.

"Yes," she nudged his shoulder. "And so would Joanna! I can't raise her alone and work at the same time."

"How was she tonight?" he asked, his tone changing from disgruntled to caring father in less than two seconds. "Did she give you a hard time?"

Melanie shook her head, "She ate her dinner, except for the brussel sprouts," Leonard groaned. "She demands to see you eat them before she does, since they look like, and I quote, "moldy gumdrops". Then we colored in a few of her books, watched her Disney show before bath-time and I read her a little Harry Potter."

Leonard reached over and patted her knee, "You're good," he stated. "How did I get so lucky with a good little sister?" he asked.

She snorted, "I'm your _only _little sister, Len," she nudged his thigh with her toe. "You should be lucky that I put up with your attitude and expensive tastes in food and booze."

"You've been eating a lot better than before I showed up!" he exclaimed. "All those frozen dinners and boxes of mac and cheese! And that pitiful wine stash you had."

"Excuse me for not getting the cooking gene," she laughed. "Some one had to get all the other necessary genes, like reading and writing and be able to conduct full research on something that isn't food related."

Leonard snorted, "Yes, because researching about shipwrecks and a bunch of dead high society people is _so _much better," he joked.

Melanie huffed, "You should be nice to me," she stated. "I do let you live here rent-free."

"At least I feed you and make sure you have a suitable breakfast ready when you decide to roll your ass out of bed."

"You're a jerk," she sighed.

Leonard shrugged, "But you love me anyway," he shot back.

"No," she shook her head, as she stood up. "I just keep you around for the cooking and seeing my goddaughter on a daily basis."

"Traitor!" Leonard cried, as she moved towards the hall. "No breakfast for you!"

She snickered, "Tomorrow's Saturday, Len," she started up the stairs. "I'm not rolling my ass out of bed until the sun is halfway up in the sky!"

Leonard grumbled as she continued up the staircase, "Goodnight!" she called out to him, as the door to her bedroom shut behind her with a click.


	2. Chapter 2

It was a little after three-thirty in the morning, when Chris stepped into his apartment. Tossing his keys into the dish, he kicked the door shut and chucked off his jacket. Turning the lights on in the hallway, Chris shuffled into the kitchen and went straight to the fridge. Grabbing a bottle of Stella Artois from the top shelf, he moved to the counter and set the carryout bag down.

Just as he turned his back to grab a fork from the dish rack, Claude hopped onto the counter with a meow.

"Hey you," Chris scratched the Bengal on the head. "Were you a good boy?"

Claude sat down and meowed, watching as he opened the carton that contained a slice of Nyota's famous German chocolate cake. Claude stretched out his limbs, before resting on his belly, watching as his owner ate his cake slowly. It was a long evening, one that Chris was glad to put behind him. With the mess that Jim created, the first several orders went out late, much to Phil's dismay. Then Pavel managed to drop an entire tray of dirty dishes, slowing traffic down by the stoves. Being the head chef of _The Yorktown Tavern, _wasn't always sunshine and rainbows.

"You're lucky you're a cat, Claude," Chris groaned, as he took a sip from his beer. "All you do is sleep, eat, shit and sleep. I'd pay big bucks to have that life."

The cat just stared at him with his bright green eyes, pawing the lid of the take-out box lightly. Chris finished his piece of cake, tossing the fork into the sink and the carton and bag into the garbage.

"Come on, boy," Chris said, scooping the cat up into his arms. "Let's go watch some TV."

Claude let out another meow and Chris chuckled, "Yes, you can use me as a pillow," he kissed the top of his head and carried him down the hall to the bedroom.

…

"GODDAMNIT! MEL! GET THIS STUID CAT!"

Melanie jolted out of a deep sleep and a nice dream that included Liam Neeson and lounging on a beach, as her brother bellowed from somewhere in the house.

"Daddy! Don't yell at her!" Joanna shouted.

Kicking the blankets off, Melanie pushed the sleep mask up and scrambled out of bed. Throwing the door open, she took off down the hall to the staircase.

"What's going on?" she shouted, as she took the stairs; two at a time. "Why are we shouting at such an ungodly hour?"

Joanna came running out of the kitchen, dressed for school. "Daddy's being mean to Callie," she said, taking her aunt by the hand. "She jumped onto the counter as he was making my lunch and took a piece of turkey."

Melanie snorted as the six year old dragged her into the kitchen, greeting a very pissed off Leonard and a tail-flicking Callie.

"Oh Len," she groaned, moving over to the table to pet Callie. "Why are you so mean to her?"

Leonard rolled his eyes, "That damn thing is this close to sleepin' outside!" he warned, pointing a knife at the little tuxedo cat. "Pain in my goddamn ass!"

"Daddy, you own the swear jar a lot of money," Joanna said, as she sat back down to finish her breakfast. "Think I can get my bike before summer?" she asked.

Melanie sniggered as Leonard grumbled, "Don't push your luck, kid," he warned, before turning back to her lunch. "It rains everyday in this damn town anyways. Ain't no weather for bike ridin'" he muttered.

Joanna rolled her eyes and Melanie cross the kitchen to the pantry, grabbing a can of cat food out.

"Come here, Callie," she cooed, snatching a fork out of the drawer. "That's my good baby."

Leonard made a disgusted noise as he cut Joanna's sandwich in half, before sticking it into a mini-tupperware case. He watched as Melanie pulled the can open, scooping the food out into the dish.

"That cat eats better than you," he shook his head. "It's a good thing we moved here. That cat would be big as a house, while you withered away on your couch."

Melanie tossed the can into the trash and the fork into the sink, "You're a jerk," she muttered, washing her hands. "Leave my cat alone."

"Leave my cat alone," he mimicked, as she swatted him with the dishtowel. "I'd leave the beast alone, if she stayed off the damn counter! Do you realize how unsanitary that is?" he exclaimed.

Melanie sighed, "Have a good day at school, Jo," she kissed the little girl on the head, before glancing at her brother. "My house, my rules!"

She then walked out of the kitchen and headed towards the staircase, as Leonard grumbled after her.

"Don't come crying to me when you get some type of disease from this damn thing!"

…

Jim sat in front of the television with his eyes glued to the screen, slurping away at a bowl of overly sugarcoated cereal.

"Dude," Hikaru yawned, as he shuffled into the living room. "What the fuck are you watching?"

"Maury," he replied, his mouth filled with soggy Fruit Loops.

Hikaru rolled his eyes and made his way into the kitchen, fetching himself a cup of coffee and a bowl of Kashi grains.

"How can you watch this shit?" he asked, moving around the sofa to sit next to him. "I feel like I'm going retarded just by hearing these women scream about being a thousand percent sure that Lamar is their baby daddy."

Jim snorted as Maury started reading the results for his guest, "This is actually Liberty and it's her twelfth time being on the show, with her twenty-eighth potential baby daddy," he corrected his roommate/co-worker.

"_In the case of five year old Banjo," _Maury paused as he read the results. "_Tyrone.. you are NOT the father!" _

Jim chuckled as Liberty threw herself down on the floor, beating her fists into the carpet, while Tyrone danced around her flailing limbs with joy. "This show is classic," he shook his head, while Hikaru rolled his eyes.

"Hey, did Pike seem a lot sadder last night than usual?" Hikaru asked, as he sipped his coffee. "You don't think his cat died, do you?"

"Nah," Jim shook his head. "Claude will outlive Chris."

HIkaru shook his head, "But seriously. He looked so out of it last night."

Jim set his bowl down on the coffee table, "Yesterday was nine years since, you know," he waved his hand at him. "The _Incident," _he finished.

"Oh," Hikaru started, frowning. "Oh..OH! You mean, with Rebecca?" he asked, as Jim nodded. "Aw shit. I forgot that it was this week," he shook his head.

"Chris doesn't mention it anymore," Jim said, as he stood up. "But you can tell that it still bothers him."

Jim carried his empty bowl into the kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee, "I think he needs a lady friend," he called out.

HIkaru snorted as he grabbed the remote, "I really don't think we should hook our boss up with a hooker, Jim," he said, flipping through the channels.

"I don't mean a hooker!" Jim said, as he came back into the living room. "I think Pike should start dating again. He needs some happiness in his life, that doesn't include making delicious food and sleeping with his cat every night."

"Claude's a nice cat though," Hikaru said, as he stopped on an old re-run of _Jersey Shore. "_Remember when we babysat him last year when Chris had to fly to New York?"

Jim snorted, "Nice as in nearly clawing my balls off?" he shook his head. "That cats a dick."

Hikaru snorted, "I can't believe you just called his cat a dick," he shook his head.

"Come on, Sulu!" he whined. "Pike is a good looking dude for his age and he should be out there finding himself a nice girl to come home to! What woman would turn down any meal of the day with that man? He can make pancakes look like clouds from the heavens! Imagine waking up to that and a good looking dude!"

"Jesus Jim! How about you slap on a wig, throw on some makeup and date Pike?" Hikaru chuckled.

Jim rolled his eyes, "I'm going to ask Nyota if she knows any single chicks," he tapped his knee. "Operation Get Pike Laid has begun!" he said, throwing his fist up in the air.

"Good luck," Hikaru muttered. "I get your spot as Sous chef when Pike slaughters you with a paring knife."


	3. Chapter 3

"Please Nyota! Please!"

Later that week, Jim managed to corner Nyota in the stock room and beg to help with is plan.

"Why are you so goddamn annoying!" she snapped, taking inventory on her dwindling supplies. "And where the hell is all my confectionary sugar running off too!"

Jim sighed, "I just want to help Pike out!" he sighed. "You saw how miserable he was the other day! The poor guy busts his ass everyday, goes home and sits around with is damn cat!"

Nyota rolled her eyes, "You are SO dramatic, Kirk!" she snorted. "Pike does more than sitting around with Claude!"

Pushing past him, Nyota moved out of the stock room and back into the main kitchen, heading over to her workstation. Jim followed close behind, his shoes hitting the back of her heels.

"Whatamean?" he asked quickly, as Nyota set her clipboard down. "What do you know that I don't?"

Nyota picked up the bag of baking chocolate and started breaking the pieces up, "Do you remember the last time you tried to set anyone up?" she asked, shrugging her shoulders. "Who was it the last time? Oh yes, Gary Mitchell?"

"That?" he frowned, waving his hand at her. "It's not my fault Gary has a really bad case of sex addiction!" he exclaimed as Nyota huffed in disgust. "That's not something two dudes talk about over a cigarette break!"

Nyota wiped her hands on a dishtowel and pushed around him, heading out of the kitchen.

"Ny? Nyota come on!" Jim groaned, kicking the cabinet with his foot. "Dammit!"

….

Melanie sat at her desk reading her emails and eating an unhealthy breakfast, when a file fell in front of her.

"Jesus Mellie," Gaila's lip curled in disgust. "I thought you're brother was a chef?"

Looking down at the icing slathered toaster strudel, Melanie shrugged. "He is," she took a huge bite from the flaky pastry. "Doesn't mean I eat everything he makes.

Gaila rolled her eyes, "These just came in," she nodded to the file. "I can't believe how quickly the University of Southampton responds to your emails and requests! It takes me months to get a fucking reply!"

Melanie wiped her fingers on a napkin, "Maybe because my research applies to their location?" she offered, pulling the file open.

The redhead snorted, "Just because that damn boat sailed from their port doesn't mean shit," she shook her head. "Don't you ever get tired of researching something that's been overplayed in the media for the last sixteen years?"

"Don't you ever get tired of working that jaw of yours?" she shot back, grinning wickedly.

Gaila pointed at her, "You're a nasty girl," she shook her head. "I hope your brother doesn't kiss your mother with a dirty mouth like that."

Melanie watched as Gaila sauntered out of her office and across the hall to her own, closing the door behind her. With a sigh, Melanie looked down at the requested documents. Pulling her notebook over, she turned to a blank page and started writing down a few notes. The Georgian native was the best at her job, her knowledge of European history going back to a young age. Of course, when her Granddaddy told her and Len the story of several steamships- _Titanic, Britannic and Olympic- _and their fates within history, Melanie knew what she wanted to do with her life.

While their mother, Eleanor McCoy, wanted them to become doctors or lawyers, Leonard and Melanie knew where their passions laid in. Len was always good in the kitchen, cooking up meals for himself and Melanie, when their parents went out to social functions. As he got older, his skills expanded with the help of Granny Nora and Aunt Jilly- showing him how to make endless platters of foreign food and deserts. But it was Uncle Bobby- the town butcher- who showed McCoy how to really cook like a man. When he finished high school, Leonard packed up and moved out to New York for culinary school, leaving Melanie behind to read her books.

Now, at twenty-seven, Melanie held two PhD's in History and Marine Archaeology, much to her mother's dismay. When Melanie announced at the tender age of fifteen that she didn't want to be a doctor or lawyer, Eleanor hoped that her precious daughter wanted to be a trophy wife. She was in the shock of the lifetime when studying decaying shipwrecks didn't guarantee a nice house with a rich husband and a few kids. And it didn't, for Melanie was currently single and childless. Her brother managed to get married, have a kid and get divorced all in two years. Her busy life didn't suit a relationship, as endless hours of research and phone conferences took up all her personal time.

But to find answers and the truth behind the lives that never got the chance to experience love and happiness made all the hard work and loneliness worth it. In another life, perhaps, she would find the man that would sweep her off her feet.

…..

Jim was busy checking over his food on the stove, when Nyota came back into the kitchen.

"If I help you," she started, leaning against the counter across from him. "You have to do something for me."

He nodded, "Okay."

She sighed, "I have a friend who knows someone that might be a good match for Pike," she shook her head, as if this idea pained her. "God I can't believe I'm helping you," she muttered.

Jim grinned, "Will she help us?" he asked.

"Yeah," Nyota nodded. "As long as I send enough mixed pastries to her office for three weeks, she's in."

"Thank you, Nyota," Jim clutched his hands together. "Really! Think of how awesome this will be when Pike is happier in his personal life! He wont have to die alone with that minion sitting on his cold, dead corpse."

Nyota rolled her eyes at his dramatics, "Yeah, anyways," she grinned. "You are coming with me to Canada after Christmas. Boyce is allowing one extra employee of our lovely establishment to come with me to meet our potential vendors," she said, as Jim groaned.

"Canada? In January?" he asked in disbelief. "Ny, it's going to be fucking freezing there!"

She shrugged, "Either I help you or I don't," she moved her hands up and down, pretending to hold a scale up. "Take you're pick, Kirk."

Jim huffed, "Fine," he hissed. "This friend better pull through and have a hot chick for Pike," he pointed at her. "I'll be pissed if she's a granny with saggy tits."

Nyota snorted, "Trust me," she said, as Jim started to the freezer. "Gaila knows a lot of hot chicks!" she shouted to his retreating back.

…

"Gaila! I don't know why you are dragging me out!" Melanie said, as they moved down the busy sidewalk. "It's freezing and all I want to do is go home, put on my pajamas and sink into my bed!"

"You need a night out," Gaila insisted, tugging her along. "I called your brother and he agreed with me!"

Melanie gasped, "You did what?" she nearly shrieked. "Oh come on! I go out! I have fun!"

Gaila stopped and looked at her, "Really?" she asked, knowing good and well that Melanie was lying. "Watching cartoons with your six year old niece and reading tombs of old ass literature is _not _fun."

She groaned, "Why must you curse me with such a horrid friend?" she wailed, as Gaila yanked her into a building. "Oh, something smells yummy!"

Gaila snorted as she pulled her coat off, "Hi, the reservation is under Gaila. For two please," she said to the _maître d. _

The woman smiled, "Right this way please," she lead the two women near the east end of the restaurant. "Here we are," the blonde said, as both Melanie and Gaila sat down. "Your menus and the wine list are all here and your waiter will be out shortly."

"Thank you," Gaila smiled, as Melanie shrugged out of her jacket.

"What is this place and why haven't I ever been here before?" she asked, picking up the menu.

Gaila checked her phone quickly before turning the ringer off, "It's a restaurant that has yummy food and good wine," she said, opening the menu with a snap. "Something that you need after sitting on your ass all day."

Melanie rolled her eyes, "It's called work, Gaila," she shot back. "Surely you of all people would know what that is."

"Keep talking like that and I wont pay for your dinner," she said sweetly, as she scanned the options for appetizers. "Ohhh, we can get mini-quiches!"

…

"Which one? The redhead?" Hikaru whispered, as he peered out into the dining room. "Dude, she's WAY too hot for him!"

Nyota stomped on his foot, "No you idiot!" she hissed. "The one across from her!"

Jim's eyes moved from the redhead in the tight green dress, to the blonde. "She's cute!" Jim said, nodding. "She's got that classic look to her, which would totally mesh with Pike."

Hikaru and Nyota rolled their eyes at one another, "Mesh?" Nyota asked.

The Sous chef turned and nodded, "Pike is a classy guy," he stated. "And that is a classy chick sitting in the dining room, waiting to be swept off her feet."

Before the other two could respond, Pike himself came out of nowhere. "Who's sweeping whom off their feet?" he asked, looking up from the bundle of carrots in his hand. "And why the hell are you three fucking around by the door? We have dishes that need to be put together and served!"

"Come here," Jim waved him to the door. "What do you think of that chick, sitting in Rand's quarter?" he asked.

Chris sighed and moved toward the door, "Kirk, we don't have time for games," he started, as he peeked outside. "Which one?" he asked, knowing that Jim wouldn't leave him alone if he didn't look.

"The blonde in the blue sweater looking thing, across from the redhead."

The older man's eyes darted around the room, until they settled on the woman. She held a glass of wine in one hand, while the other covered her mouth. She shook with laughter, as the woman across from her waved her hands dramatically about. But over the wild mane of red curls, the blonde stood out in the room. Though she was younger than what his ideal woman would be, there was something classic about her. From where he stood, and his eyesight wasn't as good now than it was ten years ago, the woman looked carefree and innocent as she laughed. Glowing like the starry skies above that were so common in the Mojave Desert.

Then Chris blinked and suddenly realized that Jim was most likely asking his thoughts on one of his future conquests. And this pissed him off.

"Dammit Kirk," he tore his eyes off the woman. "We have work to do! Stop screwing around and get in the kitchen!" he snapped, before turning to Nyota and Hikaru. "You two as well! Let's go!" he snapped his fingers. "This is a kitchen, not a playground! Bad enough McCoy has the night off and I have to deal with his fill-in!"

As the trio scurried off to their posts, Chris took one last peek out into the dining room, watching at the blonde and her friend stood to pull their coats on. The redhead said something, causing her to throw her head back and laugh. Chris felt his stomach flutter, suddenly wishing that he was the one making her laugh instead.


	4. Chapter 4

The long walk up the driveway to the lake house proved that Chris was out of shape. Or that his early morning jogs in the park, needed tweaking, as he carried two trays of cupcakes after Nyota.

"I don't understand, "he panted, as they moved up the cobblestone steps, "Why you couldn't get Jim or Len to help."

Nyota snorted, as she gracefully mounted the steps in her four-inch heels, balancing three trays in one hand, with a bag in the other. "I don't trust Jim with any of my creations. And Len had that meeting today with his lawyer," she said.

Chris nodded, remembering that Leonard mentioned his upcoming visit with his divorce lawyer that week. But to meet on Halloween, of all days, was ridiculous. Chris knew he had a daughter, who was no doubt excited to spend the day in costume, while feasting on a loot of candy.

"Who's house is this anyways?" he asked, as they reached the door. He could hear the sound of children shrieking inside. "Dear god, did you bring me here to die?" he asked, as Nyota rung the bell.

She laughed, "Calm down, Chris," she looked back at him. "It's just a small group of kids, wired on sugar and dressed in various forms of cuteness."

Chris rolled his eyes as the front door opened, exposing a young redhead dressed as a witch. She smiled at the sight of them and pushed the door open further more, allowing them to catch sight of a group of small kids running around.

"Ny!" she leaned in and gave the pastry chef a quick kiss on the cheek. "Thank you so much for doing this at the last minute!"

Nyota and Chris stepped into the front hallway, as the woman shut the door behind them. "The kitchen is this way," she nodded her head to the left, as she started walking.

As they moved with the trays, the shouts and shrieks of laughter filled the air, as another woman spoke up. "Easy you two!" she laughed. "Becky! No more candy!"

"Gaila, how did you end up getting suckered into doing this?" Nyota asked, as she set the trays down.

"My boss thought it would be a good expierence for me," she rolled her eyes, pulling the top off of the tin tray. "Oh my god! These are so cute!" she exclaimed, taking in the various cupcakes. "They're almost too cute to eat!"

Nyota took the two trays from Chris and placed them down on the counter, "You better make sure they get eaten," she huffed, uncovering the cookies and brownies. "I slaved away like a madwoman after my shift!" she exclaimed, turning to Chris. "Right?"

Chris nodded, "Didn't even leave the restaurant after closing," he shook his head.

Gaila smiled at him, "Is that so?" she asked, before holding out her hand. "I'm Gaila by the way."

He took her hand and shook it twice, "Chris."

Noticing the look Gaila gave Nyota, the redhead moved away from the counter and stepped out of the hallway.

"HEY MINNIE!" she shouted, over the chaotic shrieks of the children. "Come in here!"

A few seconds later, a blonde dressed like Minnie Mouse stepped into the kitchen, tugging at the sleeve of her dress. "Please tell me it's your turn to watch them!" she begged.

Gaila snorted, "Nope," she shook her head. "I wanted to introduce you to my friend Nyota and her friend!" she nodded to the two strangers in the kitchen before her.

When she turned her head to look at them, Chris suddenly realized that he knew this woman. Their eyes met across the short distance between the two, and the surrounding noise around him faded out, as the _thump thump thump _of his heart filled his ears. Her eyes were a shade of iridescent green, twinkling in the bright lighting of the kitchen. Chris had never seen such beautiful eyes before, and he found himself captivated and sucked in.

"This is Melanie," Gaila's voice trickled into his ear, rushing him back into the present.

Melanie managed a small smile, her fingers tapping nervously against her thighs. "Hi," she said softly, giving them a small wave.

Nyota smiled, "Hi! Your costume is so cute!" she said, resting her chin into the palm of her hand.

She then nudged Chris with her shoe, making him jump with embarrassment. "Um, h-hi," he stuttered, holding out his hand. "I'm Chris."

Melanie bit her lip and took his hand, "Nice to meet you," she said.

Then the sudden awkward-filled silence took over, as the four adults stood in the kitchen staring at one another. Or more like Chris and Melanie staring at each other, while Gaila and Nyota watched from the side.

"Okay!" Gaila clapped her hands, startling Chris and Melanie. "We have a zoo of children in the other room and a lot of sugary treats in here!" she started grabbing trays. "Lets hope these suckers knock them all out for a nap!"

…..

By the time five rolled around, many of the children were gone, leaving a mess behind for the girls to clean up.

"Here," Chris said, taking the black garbage bag from Melanie. "I'll hold and you throw," he offered.

She smiled, "Thanks," she turned to scoop up the paper plates and cups, tossing them into the trash bag. "So, how do you know Gaila?" she asked.

They moved around the living room, stepping over the garbage and various household items.

"I don't actually," he admitted, watching as she turned to look at him with a frown. "I mean, I don't know her personally. Today's the first time I've met her."

Melanie nodded, "Ah," she tossed a handful of dirty napkins out. "You're just the cupcake delivery man then?" she asked.

Chris chuckled, "More like a innocent victim of Nyota's," he shrugged. "We work together at a restaurant and she needed an extra pair of hands to bring her masterpieces over."

She laughed, "She's very good at her job," she nodded. "I'm lucky if I can even remember to take a tray of cupcakes out of the oven without burning them."

They both chuckled at her honesty, shuffling closer to the sliding glass doors. "Gaila says you're a chef," Melanie stated, as she wiped the food table down.

Chris nodded, "That I am," he smiled briefly. "I'm the head chef at _The Yorktown."_

The name sounded familiar to Melanie, though she couldn't place it as to where she'd heard it. "Ohh head chef," she raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Fancy."

He chuckled, "If you want to call it that," he nodded, as Nyota came into the room.

"You're still cleaning up in here?" she asked, placing her hands on her hips. "Gaila and I managed to clean out the entire kitchen under five minutes! We're ready to open a bottle of wine."

"Not everyone is as graceful on their feet like you, Ny," Chris said.

Melanie snorted as she tossed the last of the garbage into the bag, "That should do it," she brushed her hands together. "I could use a glass of wine or two," she shrugged. "What about you?" she asked, looking at Chris.

"I could go for a glass," he nodded. "But only one!" he warned, pointing to Nyota. "Some of us have to work tomorrow."

Nyota rolled her eyes, "Fine, old man," she turned to head back into the kitchen. "Gaila! Better pull down two more glasses!" she shouted.

….

"You don't have to drive me home," Melanie said, as she pulled her coat on. "I can call a cab."

Gaila sighed, "Why waste the money on a cab! You have to pick up Jo at her friends house, which will cost you more money!"

Nyota was packing up her car outside, hurrying against the incoming storm that decided to roll in. Chris made his way down the hall to the door, catching the last part of Gaila's conversation.

"I could drive you home," he said, pulling his coat on.

Melanie and Gaila turned to look at him, "Oh," Melanie smiled. "I couldn't! It's getting late and there's a storm coming," she babbled.

Chris smiled, "It's fine," he said, zipping up his jacket. "I'm sure you don't live that far from me."

Gaila nudged her friend, "You're not taking a cab, Mellie. Either I take you home or Chris does."

Melanie sighed, "Fine," she gave in. "Fine, I just want to go home and take this ridiculous costume off," she gave the skirt a yank.

"I think you look cute, Minnie," Gaila cooed, pinching her friend's cheek. "Too bad Mickey couldn't leave the park to join you."

They said their goodbyes to Gaila with Melanie promising to call her once she was home, and they moved down the front steps of the house. Nyota was climbing into her car when they approached Chris', and she waved to them.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Chris!" she shouted, as she started pulling the door shut. "It was nice meeting you, Mel!"

Melanie waved as Nyota closed her door and started the car, backing out of the driveway and onto the main road. The wind started to pick up as Chris moved around the car to open the door for her.

"Thank you," she smiled at him, before climbing into the passenger seat. It had been ages since a man opened a car door for her; given the fact that it was man who wasn't her brother.

Chris climbed into the driver's side and started the engine, cranking up the heat to a comfortable level.

"I heard Gaila saying that you had to pick someone up," he said, as he back out of the long driveway.

Melanie nodded, "I have to pick up Joanna," she tugged at the scarf around her neck.

Once the car was out of the driveway, Chris asked which way he needed to go and Melanie gave him the address.

"That's not too far from me," he said, turning the car to the left. "I live two blocks away from that house."

"Really?" she asked, surprised. "I live four blocks away."

Chris glanced over at her as he drove, "I guess that kinda makes us neighbors then, huh?" he asked.

Melanie blushed as she looked down at her stocking clad knees, "I guess it does," she said quietly.

…

Chris waited in the car as a steady stream of raindrops splatted against the window, as he waited outside the house. He turned the windshield wipers on and watched a few cars drove by, along with trick or treaters caught in the storm. Melanie had been gone for no longer than five minutes, when the downpour started. The sound of the car door opening brought him back to the present, when two voices filled the car.

"Okay," Melanie huffed. "In ya go!"

Chris looked up in the rearview mirror and saw that Joanna was a small child, dressed in a ladybug costume. For whatever reason, Chris thought that Joanna was a pet or an elderly woman. Feeling awful and stupid, Chris waited quietly as Melanie closed the back door and moved quickly to the passenger seat.

"Jesus," she sighed. "This rain is unbelievable!"

Starting the car, Chris merged out onto the street. "It's coming down pretty hard," he glanced up at the light. "Then again, this is Seattle."

Melanie smiled and nodded, "That it is," she agreed, turning around in her seat. "How was your party, Jo?" she asked.

Joanna yawned and closed her eyes, "That good, huh?" Melanie asked, as Joanna nodded.

Turning around to face the front, Melanie rested her head against the seat. "Is it bad that I'm relieved she's tired out from all the candy?" she asked.

Chris snorted, "I wouldn't blame you," he said, turning down her block. "At least it's not the other way around, having her bouncing off the walls."

Melanie nodded, "Her dad is going to kill me," she sighed. "I promised that she wouldn't get all hopped up on sugar."

He glanced over at Melanie, "I'm sure he'll understand," he shrugged. "It's Halloween."

Between the child and the mentioning of the father, Chris felt like his luck was ripped suddenly from his hands. Here was this beautiful woman sitting in his car, wearing a very short Minnie Mouse costume, and she had a kid and a possible husband or boyfriend. He was going to puck up the courage to ask for her number before dropping her off, but now his hopes were dashed.

A few minutes later, Chris pulled up into the driveway and parked. "Do you need help getting her inside?" he asked, as Melanie took off her seatbelt.

"I think I can get her," she said, turning back to glance at a now passed out Joanna. She then turned to look at him, "Thank you for the ride, she smiled.

Chris nodded, "It was my pleasure," he said quietly, as they stared at one another.

Melanie nodded, "Well," she reached for her bag. "I better get this one ready for bed, before she wakes up and regains whatever energy she can!"

He watched as she hopped out of the car, moving to the back to unbuckle Joanna from the seat. Once she had a firm grip on the girl, along with her party favors, Melanie gave him one quick look and smiled.

"Maybe I'll see you around, neighbor," she grinned, before stepping away from the car.

She shut the door with her hip and quickly dashed up the steps to the front door, holding Joanna tightly in her arms. Chris watched as she struggled with the door for a few seconds, before successfully opening it. Melanie stepped into the house and turned around to wave at him, before shutting the door behind her.

With a sigh, Chris smacked his head against the seat and rolled his eyes.

"You can never win, Chris," he muttered, turning the key in the engine. "Never, ever."


	5. Chapter 5

When Nyota showed up for work the next day, she was surprised to find Chris in his tiny office.

"You're here early," she observed, carrying two cups of coffee. "Did we have a meeting today?" she asked.

Chris took the fresh cup of coffee from her with thanks and watched as she sat down on one of the chairs. "No," he shook his head. "Too cold for a run today, so I came here instead."

Nyota's eyes went wide, "Wow! So you've been here since five?" she asked, taking a sip of her drink.

"Seven-thirty," he corrected her, scribbling on a piece of scrap paper. "Had too much on my mind."

Tracing the rim of the cup, Nyota watched as Chris silently sketched on the paper. This was clearly not the reaction she expected from him, and she silently debated on even asking how things went with Melanie after she'd left.

"So," she started, slouching down in the chair. "Did Mel get home safe last night?"

Chris nodded and Nyota waited for him to speak, and when he didn't she grew slightly frustrated. "Well?" she asked, urging him to talk.

"Well what?" he asked, looking up at her.

Nyota scoffed, "Did you get a number? A date?"

Chris snorted, "Jesus Nyota," he shook his head. "I drove her home!"

"Yeah! And she was gorgeous!" Nyota retorted, rolling her eyes.

"Last time I checked, offering rides home didn't include getting a phone number or a date," he pointed out. "I'm not up to speed on what you kids do these days."

Nyota laughed, "You're not that old, Chris. Stop acting like forty-seven is eighty-seven," she shook her head. "But seriously, did you get her phone number?"

Chris shook his head, "She has a kid," he shrugged. "And I'm assuming she's either married or has a boyfriend."

Playing it cool, Nyota gasped and covered her mouth with a hand. "Really?" she asked. "The way she was looking at you told me something different."

He looked up from the papers, "What? How was she looking at me?" he asked, suddenly fretting over how a stranger was looking at him.

Nyota bit back the smug smile that threatened to stretch across her face, "She totally wanted to jump your bones," she snickered.

"Jump my bones?" Chris snorted, rubbing his hand across his face. "Jesus Christ.." he muttered.

"What? She totally does!" Nyota exclaimed. "She was totally giving you the bedroom eyes!"

They playful banter subsided after a few minutes, when both chefs fell silent. Nyota looked down at her coffee and sighed, "I really think you should see her again."

"I don't know, Nyota," Chris sighed, tapping the pencil lightly against the oak desk. "Even if she's not married or with anyone, why the hell would she want to go out with an old man like me?" he asked.

Nyota snorted, "Chris, you are very handsome for your age. I would date you!" she said, as he chuckled. "What? I would!" she insisted.

"You're old enough to be my daughter."

"Stop with the age thing! I'm almost thirty!" she rolled her eyes. "You would've been like… nine when I was born!"

Chris shook his head, "I was in my teens when you were born," he corrected her.

"Whatever, I didn't major in math," she stood from her seat. "I can always get her number from Gaila," she smiled. "I'm seeing her later after work for a late dinner."

"No!" he shook his head. "I am not pushing this any further, Ny!"

Nyota huffed, "Please?" she pouted. "I'm not one to beg for things," she said, as Chris nodded in agreement. "But I really want to see you happy, Chris."

"I am happy, Ny," he shrugged the truth off like dust.

She smiled sadly at him, "No, you're not. You deserve a happy ending and maybe this could be it."

Chris turned his attention to the empty tomato can, converted to hold pencils and highlighters, and sighed. "I don't think I'm ready for anything like that."

"You wont know until you try," she pushed. "I know it still hurts, but it's been almost ten years. You have to try and move on already," Nyota said. "I have to start my menu for tonight. If you still want that number, let me know before we close up."

He nodded and Nyota tapped her hand against the doorframe of his office, "I mean it, Chris," she said softly. "I think this will be good for you."

He looked up as she turned around, disappearing into the kitchen. With a sigh, Chris sat back in his chair and looked up at racks of cookbooks on the wall. Nyota was right, as always. It was time to move on and put the past behind him, and enjoy life and what it had to offer. But after nearly ten years of heartbreak and distrust, Chris pushed dating and women to the back of his mind. After the incident with Rebecca, Chris promised himself that he would never trust himself to fall in love again. The heartbreak and feeling of worthlessness was something he couldn't bear to feel again.

But eventually, he would have to put those feelings behind him. With a sigh, Chris pulled himself up out of the chair and picked up the cup of coffee. If he were going to do this, he would need to call in the reinforcements. It had been ages since he dated, since the summer of '83 to be exact, and things were different. He couldn't go back out there looking like a teenaged boy. Maybe it was time to take up Jim's offer, and learn how to date again.

…..

"Alright Jo, it's time to do your chores!"

Melanie put the laundry basket down on the coffee table and moved towards the den, peeking in to check on her niece. Joanna sat on the floor with a worn copy of _Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief, _her lips moving as she read.

"Jo, come on," Melanie said. "Your dad should be home shortly from the supermarket and you haven't even made your bed!"

"One more page!" she begged, keeping her eyes on the book. "I'm almost done with this chapter!"

"Joanna Elizabeth," Melanie warned. "Get your butt up off that floor and go make your bed!"

Joanna huffed and turned her book upside down, scrambling up to her feet. "Not fair!" she whined, stomping past her aunt. "Becky and Tommy are gonna ruin the ending for me tomorrow if I don't finish the book today!"

Melanie followed her upstairs, "You will finish the book, as soon as you make your bed and put your toys away," she said, as they stepped into her room.

"Promise?" Joanna asked, as she pulled the sheets and blankets up on her bed.

Grabbing the other end of the monkey-patterned sheets, Melanie pulled them up over the mattress. "I promise."

Together, they made the bed and placed the scattered toys and books away in their designated places. Joanna's clothes were put away in the closet and dresser, while her schoolbooks went back into her backpack.

"What happened to all your candy?" Melanie asked, as she picked up the very light candy bag.

Joanna looked down at her feet, "Ummm," she bit her lip.

"Did you eat all this candy?"

The little girl looked up at her, "What? I was hungry!" she exclaimed, rolling her eyes.

Melanie shook her head, "I'm surprised you're not bouncing off the walls or in a sugar coma! Your father is going to be so mad!"

Joanna's eyes went wide, "NO! Don't tell him!" she shouted. "He'll take a dollar out of the swear jar and I wont be able to get my bike!"

"I won't tell him as long as you tell him we had carrots and celery for a snack time!" she bargained.

Joanna huffed as she carefully placed her slippers next to her bed, "He's gonna see the ice cream carton in the garbage can."

Melanie placed the candy bag in the desk drawer and quickly moved out of the room, "Make sure you put your dirty clothes in the hamper!" she shouted, taking the stairs two at a time.

Running into the kitchen, Melanie tackled the garbage can, pushing the empty carton of mint chocolate chip ice cream further into the bag. Looking around the room, she grabbed a stack of old newspapers and threw them into the trash. Then she pulled the bag out of the bin and tied it up, before dragging it to the side door and out onto the steps.

While having a brother, as a chef could be a good thing, when it came to Joanna McCoy, it proved to be a nightmare. As soon as they packed up and moved from Atlanta to Seattle, Melanie saw her food pantry shift from unhealthy to healthy within two days. Instant mac and cheese, potato chips and jarred salsa had been replaced with healthy snacks and whole-wheat pastas. Luckily, Leonard didn't follow the organic lifestyle, claiming that it was "too damn expensive and for hippies." The refrigerator saw more fresh produce in the last six months rather than the last three years, when the only salad would be the remains from a lunch out with Gaila or someone from the office.

"Mel? Jo? Anyone home?"

Melanie quickly dropped the bag into the garbage can outside and slipped back into the kitchen, just as Leonard came through with bags of food in his hands.

"Hey!" she smiled, pushing a loose curl away from her face. "Here, give me some of those!" she reached for a few bags.

"Thanks," he smiled, setting a few bags onto the table. " I can't believe the sun is out today! I think that's the third time I've seen it for more than five minutes since we moved here."

Melanie rolled her eyes as she pulled the bundles of lettuce and bags of produce out, setting them down on the table. "Ha ha," she shook her head. "I'm sorry I couldn't offer you sunshine and heat waves."

Leonard snorted, "We could move to California," he said, opening the refrigerator door. "I could get a job in a restaurant and far away from Jim as possible."

"Why are you so mean to him?" Melanie asked, as she folded the paper bags up. "He sounds like a nice guy."

"Nice doesn't mean shit," he rolled his eyes. "That kid drives me up the damn wall! How he became sous chef is beyond me."

Melanie sat down and pulled her feet up onto the chair, "Sounds like you're jealous," she grinned. "Jealous that someone who is much younger and funnier than you is second in command!"

"I ain't jealous," he muttered, placing a package of chicken into the icebox. "He's reckless and rushes too much."

"Whatever," she sighed, not wanting to hear her brother rant and rave about his job. "What are you making for dinner?" she asked.

Leonard grabbed a bottle of water out of the refrigerator and closed the door, "I have work tonight," he said, leaning against the door. "You're cooking."

Melanie gasped, "Me?" she asked. "You're letting me cook for Jo? "

"You've done it before," he pointed out.

"Yeah but," she shrugged. "She's getting mac and cheese tonight and no vegetables!"

Leonard opened his mouth to protest when she stopped him with her hand, "No! She will survive one night without broccoli or whatever else you load her plate up. If you make her eat anymore of it, she'll turn into one!"

"That is highly unlikely," he scoffed, rolling his eyes. "You're so damn dramatic."

"And you're a pushy bastard," she shot back. "We all have our flaws, Len."

He sighed, "Fine! But don't overstuff her with that shit," he warned. "She's a growing girl and she needs a healthy diet."

Melanie laughed, "Trust me," she folded her hands behind her head. "Jo's a McCoy. That guarantees full giant status by the time she hits thirteen."


	6. Chapter 6

Melanie found herself in the grocery store three days later, shopping for much needed junk food. It was also on this shopping trip that she bumped into Chris, while debating between mint chocolate chip or double chocolate fudge ice-cream.

"I'd go for the double chocolate fudge," he said, as she held both containers in her hand.

She yelped, turning to look at the stranger. When Melanie saw who it was, she smiled. "Hey!"

Chris smiled back, "Now you shop in the same grocery store? You're not stalking me are you?" he asked, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

Melanie blushed, "I can't tell you that," she shrugged. "Can't have you reporting me to the police and ruining my plans of kidnapping you."

"Well, I guess I can keep quiet for a while longer," he chuckled. "How've you been?"

"Good," she nodded. "Busy with work and stuff at home. How about you? Busy being a fancy chef?"

Chris laughed, "Yeah, it's been busy," he lightly twisted the basket around in his hand. "Thank god we're closed tomorrow."

They continued their conversation about work and how their day was going, when Chris finally asked her about Joanna.

"Did she fall into a sugar coma with all that candy?" he asked, a playful smile on his face.

Melanie laughed, "She managed to eat the entire bag and was fine! I don't know how the hell it happened."

"Maybe she's mastered the skill of disguise?" he offered, as Melanie laughed. "She's a cute kid. Looks a lot like you."

"Really? I figured she looked more like my brother and her mama," she shook her head.

Chris frowned, "Her brother?" he asked, as Melanie nodded.

"Yeah," she frowned as well. "Wait, did you think Jo was mine?" she asked.

Embarrassed, Chris nodded and Melanie giggled. "Oh no! I'm her aunt- godmother to be exact."

"Oh," was all he could say, as Melanie tried to keep her laughter down.

"I don't have kids," she said. "Or a boyfriend or husband."

Melanie then turned a light shade of pink, looking down at the contents of her shopping cart.

_I can't believe I'm throwing out how single I am. How desperate do I sound right now?_

Chris smiled however, noting how cute she looked while blushing. Or in general. "That's a shame," he said, shaking his head. "A beautiful woman such as yourself, single."

Melanie snorted, "I know, it's quite sad," she sighed. "Woe is me!" she threw her hand against her forehead, pretending to cry, before giggling. "It's not easy in my field of work to date. My research is my significant other."

In most cases, Chris would nod and sate his sympathetic apologies and understanding of what it was like, being married to your work. But today, standing across from this woman, Chris decided to go out on a whim and do something different.

"What are you doing tomorrow night?" he asked, surprising not only himself, but Melanie as well.

"Tomorrow?" she asked, as he nodded. "I'm working tomorrow until whenever I decide that my brain needs a break, why?" she asked.

Chris moved the basket from one hand to the other "Would you like to come over for dinner?"

Melanie smiled and nodded, "Yes!" she said, a little too much enthusiasm added, as she blushed. "I mean.. yes, I would like to come over for dinner."

They exchanged numbers and promises to call or text later that evening about details, as they started down opposite directions of the aisle. Melanie tossed both containers of ice-cream into her shopping cart and headed towards the register, lost in a dreamy daze and a big smile on her face.

…..

"Who are you texting?" Gaila asked, as she poked her head into Melanie's office the next day. "You never text!"

Melanie looked up from her phone, "I'm texting a friend."

"A friend?" Gaila repeated, her perfectly waxed eyebrow reaching her hairline. "Which friend? Your brother doesn't count as a friend, Mel."

She sighed, "Oh my god, can you leave me in peace?" she huffed, setting the phone down on her lap. "I'm having a conversation here!"

Gaila stepped into the office and closed the door behind her, "With who?" she asked, moving towards the desk. "Melanie Rose! You answer me right now!" she warned, wagging her finger at the blonde.

"You have five seconds to take get your ass out of my office and back to work," she shot back. "Or I'll tell M'Benga that you gave your RA your paperwork to fill out- _again." _

With a huff, Gaila turned on her heel and threw open the door. "Whatever you snotty brat!" she snapped, before slamming the door behind her.

Melanie started at the door, her jacking swishing on the hook with amusement. Then her phone buzzed in her lap, causing her to jump. Looking down at the IPhone, she unlocked it to open her messages.

_I hope you're not allergic to anything green, since I didn't see any of it in your cart last night._

Melanie bit her lip to suppress the childish giggle, one that she managed to have the night before and all day in the office and started typing back.

_As long as we're talking about actual food and not the early stages of mold :P_

She then placed the phone on the desk and powered up her laptop, the mountain of paperwork mocking her on the corner of her desk. She glanced at the clock and saw that it was a little after two, which gave her four and a half hours to get half of her work done. Once the laptop was on, Melanie logged into the research system and started typing.

….

Shortly after leaving the office, Melanie sent a quick text to Leonard and told him that she was staying later for work. While she loved her brother dearly, the idea of her and dating did not sit well with him. The last time she dated, back in high school, ended in disaster, which left Melanie heartbroken and embarrassed. And single for almost twelve years. Leonard didn't need to know about her date, especially with the divorce on his mind.

Taking a quick pit stop at a shop in town, Melanie arrived outside of Chris's apartment at six-thirty, with a bottle of cheap red wine. Fixing her appearance in the small mirror above the steering wheel, Melanie quickly climbed out of the car and locked up. Taking the two flights up to the apartment, Melanie stood outside the door smoothing down her skirt and fixing her hair again. Once she was sure her appearance was a good, as it would get, Melanie knocked on the door twice, before stepping back.

She could hear footsteps on the other side, before the sound of a chain moving and the locks clicking replaced them. A second later, the door swung open and Chris appeared before her.

"Hey, you made it!" he said, as she smiled.

"Of course!" she laughed, as he moved aside to let her in. "I was told that food would be served."

Chris helped her out of her coat, hanging it on the rack by the door. "I see, " he nodded. "You only said yes for a free meal."

She laughed, turning around to face him. "Maybe I did, maybe I didn't," she responded playfully. "I brought wine," she held the bottle up. "Not sure if it's really good, since I have no knowledge of wine since I don't drink it."

He took the bottle from her, "It's quite alright," he told her, as he led her to the kitchen. "If worse comes to worse, I have more."

Chris showed her to the table, which was already set for two, and moved back to the counter.

"I hope you like Greek," he said, putting the finishing touches on the plates. "I figured it would be different from the usually first date dinners many have."

If Gyros were considered Greek cuisine, then Melanie had some understanding of what she was expecting. However, when Chris returned with two plates, Melanie was surprised.

"In most places, the menu would call this _solomos ston atmo," _he said, setting his own dish down by his seat, before moving back to the counter.

Melanie tried her best to keep in the muffled squeak that threatened to spill from her lips, instantly turned on by how sexy his voice sounded as he spoke the Greek name for their meal. She then looked down at the carefully put-together dish; poached salmon over spinach-rice pilaf and sundried tomatoes. Her stomach grumbled lightly, startling her. It had been hours since she ate; a granola bar and a small handful of M & M's.

"It smells lovely," she said, as he returned with a small bowl of what looked like a regular salad with feta cheese, with a touch of lemon.

Chris sat down in his seat, "I hope you like salmon," he said. "I didn't even ask if you were allergic to anything.."

Melanie shook her head, "I'll eat anything," she admitted. "Except for veal or lamb. I could never eat a baby."

"Well," Chris said, as he picked up his fork and knife. "Luckily I don't cook with either."

…

"I don't think I could eat another bite," Melanie said, wrapping her coat tightly around her. "I ate enough food to keep me going for a week."

Chris chuckled, picking up his glass of wine. After opening the bottle Melanie brought over, both decided, after taking small sips, that it was purely disgusting. Instead, they dumped the entire bottle out and opened a bottle from Chris's small collection. After dinner, they took their wine and desert outside onto the deck.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it," he said, before taking a sip. "It's very rare for me to cook Greek."

Melanie frowned, "They don't serve anything like that at your place?" she asked. "It's so good!"

Chris chuckled, "Phil wants to serve more.. five-star cuisine at _Yorktown," _he shrugged. "French, Italian, American.. anything fancy at a high price."

"Well," Melanie picked another buttery phyllo pastry and popped it into her mouth. "I demand a change!"

He snorted, "We open at five," he said. "Phil would love to hear your thoughts."

She giggled, licking the cinnamon off her fingertips, as the wind whipped her hair around. The temperature dropped by ten degrees since she'd last been outside, but the wine and belly full of food kept her warm. Especially when she was sitting very close to Chris, their legs brushing up against one another. Suddenly, she felt like a fifteen-year-old girl instead of a twenty-seven year old woman.

"You have a great view up here," she said, looking out at the skyline of the city. "I can only see trees and my neighbors bedroom from my window."

Chris chuckled, "I'm so sorry," he said, as she laughed. "My first place was something like that; when I moved into my tiny little studio apartment in Manhattan. I moved right across the street from a newlywed couple who didn't believe in curtains."

Melanie groaned, "Oh god," she shook her head. "That's disgusting."

"Yeah, it was," he shook his head. "But I didn't have to rent porn for six months.

She quickly looked at him in shock, "W-" she frowned, unsure of what to say next.

Chris laughed, "I'm kidding," he said, sitting up in the chair. "I was kidding," he laughed, placing his hand on top of hers.

Melanie shook her head, "You're lucky," she shook her head. "I honestly had no idea how to respond to that," she said, laughing lightly.

They fell into a short period of silence, staring out at the horizon. The blinking red light at the very top of the Space Needle twinkled through the light fog that rolled in. Melanie looked down at her watch and gasped, sitting up to place her glass on the table.

"Is that really the time?" she asked, as Chris sat up as well. "It's one-thirty in the morning!"

Chris was shocked as well; the last time he checked the time, it was only eight. They both stood up and moved back into the apartment, putting the empty glasses into the sink and the bottle on the counter.

"Let me walk you down," he said, moving into the hall to slip his shoes on. Melanie grabbed her bag and followed him down the two flights and outside to her car. Once they reached her side of the car, Melanie dug around for her keys and double-checked for her phone and anything else she may've left behind.

"So," Chris said, as she unlocked her car. "Can I see you again?" he asked.

Pushing a strand of hair behind her ear, Melanie smiled and nodded. "I'd really like that," she said.

Melanie pulled the door to her car open, tossing the bag into the passenger seat, before turning around to face him again.

"I'll call you tomorrow before work," Chris said, as she wrapped her coat tightly around her.

"I'll be around," she smiled coyly, her eyes twinkling in the light from the streetlights. "I'd kiss you right now, but I have wine breath."

Chris snorted, "So do I," he pointed out.

Biting her lip softly, Melanie leaned forward as Chris moved in and kissed him softly. They both tasted like wine and cinnamon, with a little bit of honey from her lip-gloss. All three flavors blended together, as Melanie's entire body tingled from head to toe. It was the by far the best kiss she'd ever had in her life, and it was up against very few kisses.

"I'll talk to you tomorrow?" she gasped, when they pulled apart.

Chris nodded, "Thank you for dinner," she smiled, as he kissed her one last time.

Getting into the car, Chris closed the door behind her and moved around to the sidewalk. Starting the car, Melanie slowly pulled away from the sidewalk and waved goodbye as she drove off, turning at the corner.

"Goddamn, Melanie Rose," she said to herself, giggling. "Goddamn."


	7. Chapter 7

Jim stood by the counter the next morning, slicing away at red and green bell peppers. The heat was cranked up in the kitchen, as the early morning vendors came by with their deliveries. Having arrived an hour earlier, Jim was relieved that it was Chris who answered the backdoor. He asked no questions as he put his coat in the closet and grabbed his produce from the cooler.

"I'm gonna head out for coffee," Chris said, as he stepped out his office. "Do you want anything?"

"Nah, thanks man," he turned to look at him. "Be careful out there though. A lot of icy sidewalks."

Chris smiled and nodded, "Keep an eye out," he said, moving towards the door. "You're in charge!"

Once he left, Jim moved his attention back to his work, slicing and chopping as he moved from pepper to pepper. As he worked, Jim thought back to his first day at _The Yorktown Tavern, _nearly ten years ago when he was nineteen and fresh out of the Starfleet Culinary school in San Fran. It was by pure luck, talent and Christopher Pike, which gave Jim the chance to work in the fine establishment. Phil Boyce wasn't too keen on hiring a recent graduate, who did four years of work in two, which had an ego, the size of a skyscraper. But Chris, who was busy in the kitchen that summer morning, dared him to do his best.

Jim cooked one of his signature dishes, which helped him pass one of his final classes at SFC, and served it to the manager and the top chef on the west coast. Pineapple glazed chicken with wild rice, topped with a mix of pineapples, carrots and diced basil. It was an odd dish, but for whatever reason, it did the job right. Chris demanded that Boyce hire him on the spot, exclaiming that he needed someone with Jim's talent and attitude in the kitchen.

"_If you don't hire him, I'll leave right now," said Chris. "I mean it Phil. The kid's good and you know it." _

That night, Jim worked side by side with Chris and his fellow chefs- Nyota and Hikaru- as well as so many others. Ten years and many adventures later, Jim was sous chef and had a diverse learning in various foods and ways to cook and present them. Chris and the others taught him a lot over the years, showing him tricks and helping him perfect his skills. While Jim thought, over the years, that Chris found him as a threat, he was amazed at how much he learned from one man in ten years- for free, than he did in two years and thousands of dollars later from school.

"What are you doing here so early?"

Jim looked up and smiled, "Plotting to take over," he grinned, as Leonard un-raveled his scarf from his neck. "Aren't you a little early yourself?" he asked.

Leonard moved from the door to the closet, hanging his coat up, "I had to drop Jo off at school today," he grunted, shutting the door. "My sister didn't come home until two last night, and decided to sleep through her alarm."

"You let your sister stay out at such an hour!" Jim exclaimed, mocking shock. "Leonard McCoy! I am shocked! Shocked I tell you!"

"Shut up," he rolled his eyes, moving to check on the deliveries that came in. "Who else is here?"

Jim scrapped the chopped peppers into a bowl and set the cutting board into the sink, "Pike is, but he went out to get coffee."

Leonard frowned, "We have coffee here," he said, moving around his station. "Is he going senile now? Do we need to start leaving post-its around for him to remember shit?"

"Pike would kick your ass if he heard you saying that," Jim warned, drying his hands on a towel. "Hey, you should bring Jo here for breakfast! I make a mean stack of cinnamon pancakes!"

Leonard snorted, "My kid ain't eatin' anything that you make, Kirk," he shook his head.

Jim wilted a bit at the comment, before shooting back a retort. "Are you jealous that I can make pancakes and you can't?" he asked.

In return, Jim received a rude hand gesture from Leonard and he moved into the freezer. Jim sighed and went back to the counter, picking up the bowl of peppers and moved towards the stove. He hated how Leonard treated him sometimes, unsure if he was joking half the time. It didn't help matters with the fact that Jim was in love with him. For six months, Jim worked side by side with the southerner, hanging out with him after work for a drink or six. The last time he dated a co-worker though, it ended in a disaster. And Jim didn't want to go through that again, dealing with tension and total awkwardness in the kitchen.

Tossing the peppers into a frying pan, Jim sighed. "Goddamn it.." he muttered.

….

Chris parked the car against the curb, cutting the engine quickly. Pushing the door open, he grabbed the tray of coffee and climbed out of the car, kicking the door shut with his foot. Taking it easy on the pathway, Chris moved towards the front steps and dodged around the patches of ice that needed to be salted.

He rang the bell once, shivering in the bitter November wind. A few seconds later, the door opened and the blonde smiled behind the glass door.

"Come in!" Melanie laughed, as she held the door open. "It's freezing!"

Chris moved into the foyer of the house, moving out of the way so Melanie could close the door.

"Hi," she smiled, once the door was shut and she was facing him.

Chris leaned down and kissed her, "Good morning."

Melanie giggled, "Come," she led him away from the door. "It's freezing and I got the fireplace going in the den."

Moving through the house, Chris spotted the array of toys and boxes, scattered from room to room. "Sorry about the mess," she said, grabbing a few Barbie dolls and books off the couch. "Joanna was a bit wild last night I'm guessing."

Chris shook his head, "It's fine," he told her, as she took the tray of coffee from him.

"Sit, sit!" she nodded to the sofa. "How long can you stay?" she asked, as he pulled his coat off.

"Restaurant doesn't open until four today," he said, sitting down. "I can stay as long as you want me to."

Melanie smiled, "As tempting as that sounds, " she said, sitting down next to him. "I do have to work today."

Chris sighed, wrapping his arm around her. "That's too bad," he shook his head. "I had so much planned for us today."

"Oh really?" she asked, trying to look serious. "What did you plan on? Or am I not allowed to know now?"

He turned to look at her, finding her grinning at him. Dressed in a pair of flannel bottoms and a form fitting white top, she looked gorgeous. He didn't care if she looked like she rolled out of bed moments before he arrived, or that she had a spot of jelly on the sleeve of her shirt. She was gorgeous first thing in the morning, something he longed to see in the last ten years.

"I could show you," he said softly, leaning forward.

"You better," she gasped, turning her face up to him. "Or I'll be pretty upset."

….

"Where the hell is Pike?" Leoanrd shouted, as Nyota ducked past him. "Does it take two hours to get coffee?"

Jim scrambled with the baking trays and pans that were in the sink, turning the water on to soak them. "I'll call him!" he shouted, as Leonard cursed. "Pavel, just scrub these down and leave them on the counter for Ny."

Pavel nodded and grabbed the sponge from the rack, quickly getting to work. Jim moved away from the sink and stepped into Chris' office, grabbing his cellphone from his pocket. He quickly punched a call through and waitied for the man to answer his phone.

"Come on, Chris. Answer the damn phone," he muttered, pacing back and forth. "Chris?"

"_What, Kirk?" _

"Where are you? You've been gone for two hours and we need to start prep if we plan on opening at four!"

Chris cursed and Jim heard him mumbling something to someone, _"I'll be there in ten minutes!" _

Before Jim could reply, Chris hung up on him. He looked down at the phone and frowned, swearing that he heard a woman on the end of the phone with Chris.

…..

"If you keep," Melanie moaned. "If you keep doing that, we'll never get to work."

Chris placed another kiss on her lips, as his fingers moved in small circles on her hip. "I don't want to stop," he grinned.

Melanie let out content sigh, "I don't want to either," she admitted, curling into his arms. "I can't believe I'm on my couch, making out with a guy like I'm a fifteen year old," she laughed.

Chris chuckled and buried his face into her hair, "Usually this happens after two or three dates, right?" he asked.

"I think so," she smiled. "But this is a second date. You're at my house and you brought coffee," she said, as they looked over at the cups on the table. "Which is probably cold, but it's the thought that counts."

He chuckled, "Okay, so two dates," he kissed her again.

Melanie wrapped her arms around him, pulling herself closer to him as he kissed her. This was a first, having a man in her home and on the couch. She only knew Chris for a few days, and had one date with him. It was a common occurrence for Melanie McCoy, to invite men over and make out with them like a horny teenager on her couch. Dating never went this far for her, having only survived a dinner date or two, before the "this just isn't going to work" talk.

But goddamn, if Chris kept kissing her like that; Melanie moaned again as he kissed her neck, gasping as his hands moved across her clothed body.

Then the phone started to ring, ripping them both to the present. Chris grumbled and sat up, digging around in his coat pocket. Once he retrieved his phone, he moved back down across her body and answered the phone.

"What, Kirk?"

He looked down at Melanie, who watched him quietly as she tried to catch her breath.

"_Where are you? You've been gone for two hours and we need to start prep if we plan on opening at four!" _

Chris closed his eyes and cursed, making Melanie frown. "What's wrong?" she whispered, as Chris pulled the phone away from his ear.

"My sous chef," he whispered. "Seems as if we lost track of time here," he grinned, as he put the phone back up to his ear. "I'll be there in ten minutes."

He then hung up and tossed the phone onto the table and leaned down to kiss her, "I have to go," he murmured against her lips.

"That you do," she nodded, running her fingers through his hair. "Do you want me to make some coffee?"

Chris shook his head, "I'll be fine. The restaurant has one of those keurig machines that I have yet to use."

Melanie laughed as they sat up on the couch, "You brought coffee over from a coffee shop," she asked, nodding to the cups. "Meanwhile you have a coffee maker at work?"

"I wanted to see you," he shrugged, slipping his shoes back on.

She blushed and smiled, "You're too much, Chris," she shook her head.

Grabbing his coat and phone, Melanie walked him to the door. "I'll call you later," he said, kissing her. "Won't be til late though."

She shrugged, "I'll be up," she said, leaning against the door. "Be careful driving; ice out on the roads already."

They shared one more kiss before Chris stepped outside into the bitter air. Once in the car, he cranked the heat up to full blast and looked back to the house one more time. Melanie stood behind the glass door and waved at him, her arms tight against her body. He waved back and put the car in drive, pulling away from the curb slowly, before heading down the block.


	8. Chapter 8

"I seriously dislike you right now. No, I think I might hate you."

Nyota rolled her eyes, "You're such a queen, Kirk," she scoffed. "You have no one to blame but yourself!"

The two chefs made their way though the _Toronto Pearson International Airport, _looking for the rental station. It was bad timing and some ridiculous excuse that pushed the trip to Toronto up from January, which meant that Jim and Nyota had to take the first flight out from Seattle on Friday in order to return by Monday morning the latest.

"It's going to be so fucking cold and I am NOT ready for this shit," he grumbled, dragging himself behind her. "Did I tell you how much I hate the cold?" he asked.

Nyota grit her teeth as she stepped up to the rental desk, smiling as sweetly as she could. "Hi, I'm here to pick up my rental. The name is under Boyce from Seattle," she said, pulling out the necessary documents.

Jim shifted around on his feet as Nyota filled out the paperwork, before getting the keys to a tiny Honda. Thanking the woman for her help, Nyota dragged Jim by the arm and pulled him towards the exit.

"If you embarrass me during this trip, I will cut your balls off and put them in your matzo ball soup," she hissed.

"Jesus Ny," he yelped, as they stepped out into the chilly winter air. "Shit!" he shrieked, pulling his sweater tightly around him.

Nyota snorted, "Oh god, go inside and I'll get the car," she shook her head. "Fucking baby," she muttered, walking towards the garage.

Jim quickly moved back inside, setting his and Nyota's duffle bags at his feet, before pulling out his cellphone. He quickly sent a text to Pike, letting him know that they'd survived the flight. Then he texted Leonard, asking him how his morning was with Jo and if his sister had another late night adventure. It was all Leonard could bitch about for the last week and a half, as his sister spent three nights in a row out until the early morning hours.

Sighing, Jim leaned against the window and watched as a few planes took off and landed, wondering why anyone would come to this godforsaken place. His phone buzzed in his hand, signaling a text, and he smiled when he saw the sender.

_Sister came home at five-thirty. Tried to sneak in through the back door, but I caught her. Convinced she's either dealing drugs or pretending to be a caped crusader. Investigating as I type this._

Jim laughed out loud, as he quickly sent a text back, his fingers trembling as he hit the screen.

_A caped crusader? You're related to Batman? WHY DID I NOT KNOW THIS SOONER? Does this make you Robin?_

Looking up, Jim spotted Nyota waiting outside by the curb, sitting in a very new Honda Civic. Grabbing the bags, he quickly dashed outside and to the car, pulling the passenger door open. Tossing their bags into the back seat, Jim climbed into the car and closed the slammed the door shut.

"Oh god," he groaned. "Heat!"

Nyota shook her head and pulled away from the curb, moving the car down the lane to the exit.

"Put this in the GPS," she said, shoving the paper at him as her eyes stayed on the road. "I can't figure this piece of shit out for my life."

Jim snickered as he put in the coordinates for their hotel, "Could you imagine if we like, made the wrong turn and ended up on the set of Degrassi?" he asked.

"The fact that you still watch Degrassi," Nyota said as she pulled out onto the highway. "Worries me."

"It's a good show!" he exclaimed, setting the GPS onto the dashboard. Nyota glanced over at him, "What? It is!"

"God help me," she muttered, as she drove. "This weekend is going to be torture!"

…

Melanie scrambled around the kitchen, grabbing her travel mug of coffee.

"I just want to know what you've been doing for the last three days, that's kept you out until five-thirty in the morning!" Leonard shouted, as she moved.

"Len, I don't have time for this!" she shouted back, pulling her coat on. "I have a lot of work that needs to get done!"

That was partly true, with the upcoming deadlines for research that needed to be sent out to various museums and exhibits in the UK for the New Year. Along with the dinner/movie date she had that night with Chris as his place, which would be covered up with another "I need to work late again," lie.

"Mel, what are you even doing at the office? Surely it can't be that much work that requires you to stay out all hours of the evening!"

She turned around quickly, "What am I doing?" she asked, frowning. "Excuse me, Leonard. Not everyone works a high demand job like you do, flipping a few steaks on a grill and making sure the fucking chicken isn't dry!"

"Mellie, that's not what I meant!" he insisted.

"I work my ass off and I am fucking good at what I do!" she snapped. "I may not be running around a damn kitchen, barking orders and making sure the right food goes out, but I'm responsible for everything that gets sent out."

Leonard closed his eyes and shook his head, "I know you are, Mel. I just don't want you to overwork yourself," he said weakly.

Melanie zipped up her coat and shook her head, "Take your own advice before you give it out to others," she snapped. "Jo will be at Becky's; the address is on the fridge. I wont be home til late, so don't wait up for me."

Grabbing her bag and travel mug, Melanie stormed out the side door and down the steps.

"Mel!" Leonard shouted, as she moved down the driveway. "Dammit!"

….

"Just, be good and mind your manners!" Nyota hissed, as they followed the assistant towards the conference room. "Boyce will slay us if this falls apart."

"Relax," Jim whispered. "I'll be good, I promise!"

Nyota shot him a warning glare as the door opened, "Here we are," the woman said, smiling at them. "Shall I get you anything? Water? Coffee?"

Jim shook his head, "No, I'm good," he smiled at her.

Nyota shook her head, "Thank you."

The woman then turned to the conference table, "Sir? You're guests are here."

Nyota and Jim turned to face their potential vendor, as he stood up from the table.

"You must be Jim Kirk and Nyota Uhura," the man said, moving forward to shake their hands. "My name is Spock."

Jim wanted to make a comment but the warning glare he received from Nyota stopped him. "It's nice to meet you, Spock."

"Please," he motioned toward the chairs. "Let us talk."

Once his back was turned to them, Jim quickly looked at Nyota and frowned. "Let us talk?" he mouthed.

Nyota pinched his arm and moved towards the table, sitting down, while Jim reluctantly followed.

"You will have to forgive me, as I was made aware of this meeting early this morning. My partner had to leave the city to attend the birth of his first grandchild, and left me with little time to prepare for this meeting."

Jim suppressed an eyeroll, while Nyota nodded. "That's fine," she said, shocking Jim with her sweetness. Normally, Nyota would pitch a fit for unpreparedness.

"From what I've gathered your boss wants to start a partnership with our company," Spock said, his eyes only on Nyota. "You are located in Seattle, correct?"

Nyota nodded, "Yes," she folded her hands on top of the table. "Our boss didn't say exactly what kind of products this company produced. So we're a little lost as well."

Spock gave her a short nod, "We produce gluten-free as well as Kosher products; our clients tend to be Kosher based shops and recently, several organic based eateries in the Los Angeles area."

_Fucking hipsters, _Jim thought. This meeting was boring and Jim knew that no one would go for gluten free or kosher products at the _Yorktown. _He was sure that no one knew how to prepare a kosher meal, or what a gluten free meal looked or tasted like. And Spock was annoying the hell out of him, with his monotone voice and ridiculous haircut. He looked like something out of a sci-fi flick, common on the sci-fi network that he and Scotty watched during their weekly hangouts at either of their apartments.

Glancing over at Nyota, Jim saw how captivated she was by Spock, hanging on to every single word out of his mouth. Clearly, Jim's opinion was not needed, when they both stood up ten minutes later.

"I look forward to working with you both and with Mr. Boyce," Spock said.

Nyota nodded, "Me too," she gave him a small smile. "I think it'll be a wonderful step in expanding our menus with variety."

Jim cleared his throat, "Excuse me," he ignored the glare Nyota gave him. "I need to use the bathroom."

He quickly moved out of the conference room and waited out in the lobby, grabbing his phone out of his pocket.

_Dude this trip is shit. Boyce wants us to make gluten free and kosher stuff. We are not a bunch of hipster chefs making these organic meals. What the fuckkkkkkkkkkk._

He figured that Leonard would be at work, starting up the prep for that nights dinner rush. With the sous and pastry chef out of the kitchen for two days, everyone had to step up and double up on work. Luckily Nyota's trainee was available to work the four to eleven shifts, having proved herself capable of making the desserts listed on the menu. Meanwhile, Hikaru and Leonard both had to play sous chef while dealing with their own work, helping Pike run the kitchen. He owed them all a round of drinks when he returned, if they survived the two days.

"I will be in contact with you as well as Mr. Boyce."

Jim quickly slipped his phone back into his pocket and turned around, as Nyota and Spock stepped into the lobby.

"Thank you, Spock," Nyota said, retrieving her coat from the rack. "I look forward to working with you."

She then moved towards Jim, who nodded at Spock, moving past him to the elevator. Once they were inside, heading down to the main floor, Nyota sighed.

"He was really nice," she said, smiling to herself.

Jim groaned, "Oh god," he shook his head. "We're here to work, Ny."

She nodded, "I know," she glanced up at him. "Which is why Spock and I are having a business dinner tomorrow night."

"Will there be a mix of pleasure in that dinner as well?" he asked, grinning.

"Don't be a perv," she elbowed him. "Remember my threat, Jim. I will cut your balls off if you put one toe out of line."

…

"How's that?" Melanie asked, as she sat behind Chris on the couch. "Better?"

Chris groaned, "A little lower, to the left. Ahhh, right there," he sighed, as her fingers massaged the sore muscles in his back.

"Busy night, huh?" she asked, pushing her fingers deep into the sore muscles. "You poor thing."

He snorted, "I'm an old man," he winced as she pushed into his shoulder. "You should be nicer to me."

Melanie laughed, resting her forehead against his back. "I'm sorry," she said, moving her hands up to the back of his neck.

_The Yorktown Tavern _closed at eleven on the dot, which allowed Chris to send a quick text to Melanie that he would meet her at his place by eleven-thirty. A quick clean up and storage of supplies, the group said goodnight and split up, heading either home to their beds or to the bar up the block. When Chris arrived at his apartment, Melanie was sitting on the front steps waiting for him. They ate left over pasta with a glass of wine, while sitting on the couch, talking about their day.

Now, a little after midnight, Melanie had wrapped herself around Chris. Both were tired, working long hours at the respected jobs.

"I don't think I'll be able to drive myself home," she sighed, resting her head against his back. "I can't wait to get this research done and sent off."

Chris patted her ankle, which rested against his thigh. "Spend the night," he said.

"What?"

Melanie unwrapped her legs from his waist and moved out from behind him to sit on his lap.

"Spend the night," he repeated. "I don't want you driving home if you're this tired."

She chewed on her lip, wheels churning in her head. Chris leaned back against the cushions, pulling her down with him.

"I won't take advantage of you, if that's what you're thinking," he said, as she blushed. "I'll have you know that I am a gentleman."

Melanie snorted, "A gentleman who has a wicked mouth and wandering hands," she retorted, giggling as his "wandering hands" moved up under her shirt. "I didn't bring a change of clothes."

He shrugged, "I have clothes. Clothes that will look better on you than they do on me," he grinned.

Melanie giggled, nodding. "Okay, I'll stay."

"Yeah?" he asked, surprised.

"You better have a comfortable bed," she shrugged. "And I hope you're not one of those people who hog all the covers."

Chris chuckled, "I don't hog anything," he insisted. "And I think my bed is comfortable enough."

Melanie nodded, "Can we please move to his so-called comfortable bed? As much as I would like to sit out here on your lap, my eyes are begging for rest."

Climbing off the couch, Chris turned off the lights and locked the front door, before leading Melanie down the hall to his room. Claude looked up at them as they stepped into the bedroom, yawning and stretching before standing up on the bed.

"Aww, hi kitty," Melanie cooed, rubbing his head.

Moving to the dresser, Chris pulled out a pair of flannel bottoms and a shirt. "Don't be alarmed if you wake up in the middle of the night with him on your head," he handed the clothes to her.

Melanie smiled, "It's fine," she rubbed Claude's head. "I have a cat and she does the same thing too."

"Bathroom is over there," he pointed to the door.

Once the door shut behind her, Chris quickly changed into his own pajamas and turned down the blankets on the bed.

"Move Claude," he whispered, as the cat immediately curled up on the mattress, under his pillows.

The cat meowed as Chris moved him over, before sitting down on the bed. Turning the alarm off on the clock, Chris went about his nightly routine, removing his watch a fixing the pillows. When the bathroom door opened, Melanie stepped out holding her clothes.

"Either you're really tall," she placed her clothes down on the chair in the corner. "Or I shrunk."

The pants were way too big on her, the legs covering both her feet. She looked like a little kid, swamped in his clothes.

Chris smiled, "You look cute," he said, as she folded the waistband of the pants. "Come here."

Melanie made her way across the room and climbed onto the bed, moving across the mattress to lie on the other side. Claude immediately moved to the top of the pillows, curling around her head. Turning the light off, Chris leaned over and kissed her.

"Comfortable?" he asked, as she pulled the blankets up.

"Mmmhmm. Very," she smiled. "Nice bed."

Claude purred from above, as if he were saying thank you. Melanie and Chris laughed, before kissing again.

"Good night," she yawned, tucking herself up against his side.

Wrapping his arm around her hips, Chris reached up with one hand to give Claude a pat, before settling his arm above his head. He heard Melanie's breathing even out, having already passed out within seconds. A few minutes later, Chris followed in suit, letting exhaustion overtake his consciousness.


	9. Chapter 9

Melanie shifted and stretched her legs, moaning as her muscles stretched. Rolling over, she buried her face into Chris' chest and sighed. The heat that radiated off of his body, kept her warm and sedated. Claude rested comfortably at the end of the bed, draping his body over her bare feet, keeping her toes warm.

"Hmmmm," she sighed, as Chris tightened his hold on her. "So warm.." she mumbled.

A few minutes passed before she cracked a sleepy eye open, wincing at the intrusion of sunlight that filled the bedroom. Through a sleepy daze, Melanie tried to remember what day it was, as well as where she was. Lifting her head up quickly, Melanie looked around the room and realized that it was not hers.

"Shit!" she mumbled, leaning over Chris to look at the clock.

Chris groaned, his hands holding onto her hips as she picked up the alarm clock to read the time. "Come back to bed," he sighed.

_9:45_

Melanie let out a shriek, dropping the clock back onto the table. "Oh my god!" she yelled, climbing over Chris. She ignored his grunt as he knee banged into his groin, as her feet hit the ground. Grabbing her clothes, Melanie started pulling off the pajamas.

Chris lifted his head up and gave her sleepy smile, "Nice panties," he nearly growled, his voice laced heavily with sleep.

The flannel pants lay crumpled at her feet, one leg shoved into her jeans. Melanie looked down at the lacy black boy shorts and gasped, for they showed off more than deemed suitable.

"My brother is going to _murder _me," she hissed, tugging the jeans up. "Fuck, fuck, fuck.." she chanted, as she ran into the bathroom to put her bra and shirt on.

Chris groaned and kicked the blankets off, before sitting up. Shuffling out of the bedroom, Chris went into he kitchen to start the coffee pot, rummaging through the cabinets to find a quick breakfast for them both. The coffee was ready by the time Melanie came out of the bedroom, dressed as neatly as possible. Her hair was pulled back into a messy ponytail, and her face was make-up free.

"I wish I could stay for breakfast," she said, as she pulled her boots on. "But I'll be lucky to make it home before my brother wakes up and notices that I never came home last night."

"Does he know that you're dating?" he asked, pouring the coffee into a cup.

Melanie looked up at him and shook her head, "No," she said quietly, as she tugged the other boot on. "Me and dating doesn't play with my brother."

Standing up, Melanie straightened her clothes as best as possible and moved to retrieve her coat from the hook, pulling it on quickly as she searched for her belongings. Chris moved over to her with a cup of coffee and a granola bar in his hands.

"Here," he said, setting them down on the hall table. He took her bag from her and placed the cup into her hands. "Drink."

Melanie sighed and took a few sips of coffee, before handing the cup back to him. He then handed her the granola bar, "If we had time, I'd make you breakfast."

She smiled, "Thank you," she said, as he placed the bag on her shoulder. "Hey, on Sunday my brother is taking Jo out for the day. Since the restaurant isn't open, maybe we could do something that day."

He smiled and nodded, "Sounds good," he agreed. "I'll call you later?"

"Of course," she kissed him. "Have fun at work later."

Walking her to the door, Chris unlocked it and pulled it open, before pulling her by the sleeve of her jacket. "Wha-" she started, before he silenced her with another kiss.

"If you keep doing that, I won't be able to leave," she said.

"Is there nothing I can do to make you stay?" he asked.

Melanie laughed and kissed him again, "Go back to bed," she moved towards the doorway. "You need your rest."

Chris stole another kiss from her and watched as she moved down the stairwell, waving up at him when she reached the door. Stepping back into the apartment, Chris locked the door again and moved into the kitchen. He put food in Claude's bowl and grabbed the extra cup of coffee and moved back into the bedroom. He could use the few extra hours of necessary sleep.

….

"Jo stop jumpin' on the bed," Leonard grumbled, as the bed shook.

Joanna giggled and continued to jump, "Daddy! Daddy!"

With a groan, Leonard sat up and pulled her down onto the bed, wrapping her up in his arms. Joanna shrieked and giggled, as he smothered her cheeks with kisses.

"Daddy, your face is itchy!" she exclaimed, as he buried his face into her neck.

"And you're too wiggly," he retorted, as she squirmed in his arms. "Why are you up so early?' he asked, peering at the clock on the nightstand. "It's Saturday."

Joanna huffed, "I wanted to see you," she pushed her tangled hair away from her face. "I don't get to see you a lots."

Leonard sighed and kissed her forehead, "I'm sorry, baby girl."

It had been a rough six months, with the divorce and uprooting Joanna from her life in Atlanta. He was lucky that she made friends quickly at school, as well as bonding with Melanie after a two-year absence from her life. It was difficult, trying to maintain a job and being a father without Jocelyn around. Being a single dad was a full-time job, juggling play dates, doctor visits and PTA meetings. He was lucky that Melanie could help out when he needed it, as well as letting them live with her. It wasn't permanent, as he was actively looking for a place of their own. He wanted to keep Joanna in the neighborhood, close to school and work and Melanie's.

"Tomorrow we'll have the entire day together," he said. "You and me."

"Can we look at bicycles?" she asked innocently, batting her eyelashes at him.

Leonard snorted and pulled her into a tight hug, "You really want that bike, huh?" he asked, as she giggled. "We'll see kiddo. But now, I think a certain little lady needs some breakfast."

Joanna stood up on the bed as Leonard got up, turning around to hold his arms out. Hopping into them, Leonard carried her over to the door and pulled it open, stepping out into the hall. At that moment, Melanie's bedroom door opened and she stepped out, dressed in a bathrobe.

"Oh, " she paused, rubbing a towel in her hair. "Hi."

"Late night?" he asked, cautious of her mood. The last time they spoke was the morning previously, an argument he wanted to forget.

Melanie nodded, "Yup," she answered shortly. "Breakfast time already?" she asked.

Leonard nodded, "Just about," he said, shifting Joanna in his arms.

"I'll meet you downstairs in a few," she said, turning back into her room, the door closing with a click.

…..

Twenty minutes later, the trio sat around the table eating pancakes and eggs. They ate in partial silence, as Joanna babbled about school and the movie she and Becky watched the night before.

"Daddy, can we see Mister Jim today?" she asked, frowning up at him.

"Jim's in Canada this weekend with Miss Nyota," he said, watching as her face fell with disappointment. "They won't be home til Monday."

Joanna looked down at her plate, pouting. Leonard couldn't figure out how his daughter got so attached to Jim Kirk, praising him as if he were a Disney Prince.

"Mister Hikaru will be there, though," he offered. "And Mister Scott."

Joanna squealed, "Can we go? Can we go?" she asked, begging.

Melanie snickered as she bounced in her chair, the fork clattering to the floor. Leonard leaned down to pick it up, wiping it off with a napkin.

"Sure we can," he said, setting the fork down next to her plate. "You have to finish your food and wash up though."

"Okay!" she picked up the fork and continued eating, pausing after a few bites. "Aunt Mellie has to come too!"

Melanie shrugged, "Alright," she picked up her cup of coffee. "Then afterwards, you and I are going to the mall to get you some snow boots."

….

Melanie could smell the food as soon as they reached the back door of the restaurant. Then she heard the shouting; a Scottish brogue filling the air and the sound of pots and pans banging.

"What's going on in here?" Leonard yelled, as they stepped into the kitchen.

Joanna squealed and let go of her father's hand, "Mister Scotty! Mister Hikaru!"

The two men, who were arguing previously, smiled at the little girl as she ran towards them.

"Miss Jo!" Scotty smiled, scooping her up into his arms. "Am ah going senile or did yeh get bigger, lass?" he asked, as she kissed his cheek.

"You're taller now, String Bean," Hikaru observed, poking in leg.

"Daddy says I has to eat my vegetables so I can grow big and strong," she told them, as they listened intently to the six year old.

Melanie smiled at the scene before her, as Leonard moved about, checking the day's itinerary. Scotty turned and smiled, "And who might you be?" he asked.

"Oh," she jumped, startled. "Melanie McCoy."

Hikaru frowned, "I thought you two were getting divorced?" he asked, as Joanna giggled.

"She's my sister, Sulu," Leonard corrected. "Just because I'm from the South, doesn't mean I married my sibling."

HIkaru shrugged, "How the hell was I supposed to know!"

Melanie laughed, "Just ignore him," she waved her hand dismissively. "I do it all the time."

Scotty grinned, "I like this one," he nodded to Leonard. "She's funny."

Leonard rolled his eyes, "I need to check in with Boyce about the new vendor," he said, turning his attention to Joanna. "Be good," he warned.

Hikaru snorted, "She's with us! What kind of trouble can she really get into?"

Once Leonard was out of the kitchen, Scotty and Hikaru turned their attention to Melanie. "Okay, you need to spill secrets and methods," Hikaru said.

"What?" she frowned, as they nodded.

"How do yeh get him to not be a total arse? He's so bloody grumpy all the time!" Scotty exclaimed. "Does the man evah smile?"

Melanie laughed, "Just show him a bottle of your best bourbon and you're good."

They talked for a while, getting to know each other, as Joanna helped Hikaru peel carrots and cucumbers.

"Anyone home?" someone shouted from the front of the restaurant.

"In here, lad!" Scotty shouted.

Leonard came in a few minutes later with the newest arrival, moving to the counter to see what Joanna was doing.

"Jesus Christ it's cold out," the newcomer said, setting his coat on the hook. "Who's this?" he asked, nodding to Joanna.

"Hi!" Joanna waved. "I'm Joanna! That's my Aunt Mellie!"

Melanie turned around to greet the man, when she froze. Standing before her, with the mirror image of shock on his face, was Chris.


	10. Chapter 10

Melanie stood still as Leonard introduced her to Chris, watching as he stared at her. She blinked a few times before snapping out of her shocked daze and moved forward, holding her hand out.

"It's nice to meet you," she said.

Chris nodded and took her head, "Nice to meet you, too," he replied.

Scotty chuckled, "Awkard.." he muttered, as Hikaru snorted. "Yeh both look like yeh seen a ghost!"

Leonard rolled his eyes as Melanie blushed, "This is Chris, "he nodded his head towards him. "He's the head chef of this place."

Melanie nodded, "Well, I hope you're a far better cook than my brother here."

Scotty and Hikaru laughed as Joanna giggled, before they moved back to the bowl of string beans.

"I'll be right back," Leonard said, as he moved out of the kitchen again.

Once he left, Melanie stepped closer to Chris, "I'm sorry, " she whispered. "I didn't know he worked here with you."

Chris shook his head, "It's fine," he ran his fingers through his hair. "Just shocked."

Melanie wilted, "I understand if you don't want to see me anymore," she shrugged lightly. "If it's going to cause a problem here…"

"No, no," Chris said, placing his hand on hers. "I want to see you," he nodded, as she looked up at him with surprise. "I can't stop thinking about you and I want to see where this goes."

She smiled, "Okay," she nodded. "Maybe later we can talk about this? It's kinda hard to discuss the fact that I've been seeing you, when my brother could walk in at any moment and two of your workers are five feet away with my niece."

They both glanced over at Scotty and Hikaru, showing Joanna how to clean the string beans and what they're used for.

Chris nodded, "Tonight? Maybe a late dinner?" he whispered.

She nodded, "Eleven-thirty?"

Chris nodded as Leonard came back into the kitchen, "Are you still takin' Jo to get her snow boots?" he asked, startling his sister.

Melanie turned around quickly, "Y-yeah," she nodded. "Does she need anything else?"

Leonard shrugged, "I don't know, but I'm sure she'll sucker you into buying more clothes."

Chris snorted as he moved across the kitchen to the counter, looking into the bowl of string beans. "Looks like we have a new chef on our hands," he said, looking up at Joanna. "Hikaru, you better watch out."

Joanna giggled, "I wanna work here! I like food!"

The adults laughed, "You sure do, kid," Leonard said, as he moved over to his station. "Do you want me to make some lunch to take with you?" he asked.

Before Melanie could answer, Joanna nodded. "Chicken sandwich!" she shouted.

"What do you say?" Leonard asked, as Joanna blushed.

"Please?"

"Good girl," he nodded. "One chicken sandwich coming up!"

Hikaru helped Joanna down and patted her head, "You're a good helper," he said. "I think we could use an extra set of hands around here."

Chris laughed, "At least wait until she's of age," he said. "Boyce would kill us."

Joanna ran over to her father and stood on her toes, watching as he made her sandwich, while Melanie moved to the counter.

"Do you want me to make you something before you go?" Chris asked, as Scotty and Hikaru ventured off to their own work.

"You're always making me food," she said, smiling. "I think I'll be fine for a while. I could aways get something at the food court later."

Chris shook his head, "You can't eat that crap," he said, moving to the refrigerator. "I think there's still some left over chicken avocado salad that Hikaru made last night."

Less than five minutes later, Melanie was holding small container that contained a chicken avocado sandwich and a side of carrots and celery. "A healthy and _real _meal, that will make you feel a lot better than eating all that grease," he said.

She shook her head, "you are too much," she said, smiling at him.

"Daddy can I have some cookies too?" Joanna asked, as Leonard put her sandwich into a container. "The ones that Miss Nyota makes?"

Leonard sighed, "Three cookies," he said, moving over to the storage fridge that held Nyota's pre-made deserts. "And you have to eat your sandwich first before havin' them."

"Could I have a cookie?" Melanie asked, pouting.

"You eat enough cookies for the two of us," Leonard said, as he wrapped the cookies up. "How about an apple?"

Melanie made a face, "You're mean," she said.

Chris snorted, "Give her a cookie, McCoy," he said, shaking his head. "One wont kill her."

Once the treats and sandwiches were wrapped up and in a bag, Melanie and Joanna were back in their coats and ready to leave.

"I'll be home late," Leonard, said, as he adjusted Joanna's hat. "Make sure this one eats and finishes her math homework."

"But Aunt Mellie doesn't like math," Joanna said, as he pulled her gloves on. "Can't I wait until you come home to help?"

Leonard shook his head, "You need to be in bed early so we can go out tomorrow," he said, kissing her cheek. "Do as much as you can tonight and then tomorrow we'll finish the rest."

"Come on, Jo," Melanie said, holding out her hand. "I may be awful at math, but I can help you with your history homework and we can finish the next two chapters of Harry Potter."

Joanna took her hand and waved to Leonard and Christopher, "Bye Daddy, bye Mister.." she paused, not sure what to call him.

"You can call him Chris, Jo," Melanie laughed. "Unless he tells you otherwise."

Chris nodded, "That's fine with me," he smiled at Jo. "I'm not _that _old yet."

Joanna giggled as Melanie tugged her hat down over her ears, "I'll call you later, Len," she said, before glancing at Chris.

"Be good and stay out of trouble," Leonard warned as he moved back to clean off the counter.

Melanie gestured to Chris that she would call him later and waved goodbye, "It was nice meeting you two back there!" she shouted, as Scotty and Hikaru fiddled around the various bottles of alcohol.

They both looked up and waved goodbye, "See yeh soon, Jo!" Scotty said.

Melanie and Joanna stepped out in the back parking lot, quickly moving towards the car. Once Joanna was in the back seat and buckled in, Melanie started the car and cranked the heat up.

"Be nice, Len," she warned. "Call you later!"

She closed the door and put the car in drive, slowly pulling forward, waving at Leonard and Chris, who stood by the backdoor. Once the car was out of the parking lot and turning down the street, the chefs moved back inside and closed the door.

"Damn it's cold, " Leonard said, rubbing his hands together. "I don't know how my sister can live here!"

Chris nodded, "It's cold," he shrugged. "But you'll get used to it."

…..

"I'm sorry about earlier," Melanie sighed, as Chris kissed her. "I really didn't know that my brother worked with you."

Chris looked up at her, "It's fine," he said, moving his lips from her jaw to her neck. "It would've been known sooner or later."

Melanie sighed and shifted under him, "But still," she moaned. "He's not the easiest person to get along with."

"Oh, I know," he nodded, leaning up to kiss her lips. "But can we please stop talking about your brother? I really don't want to think about him while I kiss you."

She giggled, "Sorry," she nodded, leaning up to kiss him. "Let's talk about something else."

"Less talking," he murmured against her throat.

Melanie arched up against him, "Mhmmm, oh-," she gasped, wrapping her arms around him.

Slowly, Chris moved his hand up her shirt, resting it against her side. Melanie shivered at the close contact, breaking away from the kiss.

"Do you have to go home?" he asked, breathing heavily against her.

Melanie shook her head and he grinned, "Good, because I don't plan on letting you go right this minute," he admitted.

"Thank god," she said, pulling him down for another kiss. "I don't want to go home just yet."

Sitting up, Chris pulled himself up off the sofa and held his hand out to her. "Come on," he said, as she took his hand. "Let's move this somewhere comfortable."

Pulling her off the sofa, Melanie wrapped her arms around him and kissed him deeply. Hands roaming and grabbing, Chris quickly picked her up. Melanie shrieked in surprise, holding on tightly as he carried her down the hall to the bedroom.

"I hope you're phone is off," he said, setting her down on the bed.

She laughed, "It is," she replied, pulling him down next to her. "I turned it off before I came upstairs."

Chris grinned, pulling her close. "Smart girl," he chuckled.


	11. Chapter 11

**Thank you for the reviews! As you may or may not know, there' s a hurricane heading towards the east coast of the US; which is where I'm from! It's not due to hit until late Monday, so I'm trying to update as much as possible before then. The last time we had a hurricane, I had no Internet for seven days. So I'm hoping that doesn't happen again! I'll be keeping an eye on the weather reports as the weekend progresses! Until then! **

Jim sat on the sofa in the hotel, watching the lights twinkle from the city outside. Holding a bottle of beer in one hand, he stood up and moved towards the sliding glass door. Standing against the glass, Jim looked out at the skyline and sighed sadly. It was the second day in Toronto and he wanted to go home, longing for his bed and to work a full week's worth again.

Nyota as out on her "business" dinner with Spock, acting all giddy like a teenage girl on her prom day. Jim settled on room service, excessive amounts of beer and a marathon of Project Runway to sooth his homesickness. Glancing down at his watch, Jim noted that it was a little after midnight. He wanted to call Leonard or even Hikaru, but he figured they would all be out on their night off and too busy to talk to him.

Sighing, Jim turned away from the sliding doors and moved back towards the couch, drowning his bottle of beer as he went. Setting the empty bottle down next to the others, he picked up another and twisted the cap off. Plopping down on the sofa, he picked up the remote and unmuted the television, bring the bottle up to his lips for a sip.

"Fuckin' Heidi Klum," he muttered, settling back against the sofa. "Fuckin' Spock and Fuckin' Toronto."

….

"I think I'm gonna host Thanksgiving this year," Melanie said, as she sat on Chris' bed.

He turned to look at her, as she sat on his bed, wrapped up in a sheet. "Really?" he asked climbing back under the blankets.

Melanie moved closer to him, resting her head on his bare chest. "Yeah, " she nodded. "It's going to be Leonard and Joanna's first Thanksgiving here in Seattle. I figured I could invite everyone from the restaurant and Gaila."

Chris nodded as she turned her head up to him, "I want you to come over too," she said.

"I would love to come over," he squeezed her tightly against him. "I'm skipping my parents house this year."

"Thanksgiving in the desert," she sighed. "I still can't get over the fact that you lived somewhere hot and ended up here in Seattle."

He chuckled, "I almost went to New York," he said.

"Really?" she asked. "Why didn't you go?"

He shrugged, "I wanted something simple. I was twenty-nine and I'd just finished interning at a restaurant in Los Angles, when Phil offered me a job."

"And you took it and now you're here," she finished.

Chris looked down at her, "I'm here," he nodded. "In Seattle and in bed with a very, sexy woman."

Melanie blushed, burying her face into his shoulder. "You'll have to forgive me if I react like a teen," she mumbled. "I'm trying to adjust to the sudden flood of compliments."

He kissed the top of her head, "It's cute," he said. "Makes me feel like I still have all my charm from my twenties."

She snorted, "Don't get too cocky," she rolled over onto her stomach, propping herself up on her elbows. "I can't remember the last time I was in a bed with a man, wearing nothing but my birthday suit."

Chris moved one arm under his head, "Really? When was the last time?" he asked, as fingers moved up and down her arm.

"Six years?" she shrugged, looking down at the mattress. "Kinda had a long dry spell for a while."

"Ten years for me," he offered, as she gaped at him. "Yeah, I know. Shocking."

Melanie blinked, "I-I ten years?" she asked, frowning. "How is that even like.. possible?" she asked.

Chris rolled onto his side, propping his head up with one hand. There were many things they hadn't shared with each other, as each day opened up new and interesting facts about one another. Now, three weeks into their relationship, Chris had a gorgeous woman in his bed and he had the urge to tell her everything. She needed to know if this relationship were to continue.

"I was married," he announced, watching as Melanie's eyes went wide. "And then we got divorced and I threw myself into work."

Melanie looked away from him, staring at the window. "How long were you married for?" she asked.

"Three years," he sighed. "But we were together for six."

She turned back to look at him, "What happened?"

Chris looked down at his hand, tracing random patterns into the mattress. "I wanted a baby and Rebecca said she wasn't ready," he shrugged. "So I let it go for a while, hoping to return to the idea a year later. But when I finally brought it up again, Rebecca announced that she was filing for divorce and moving out of the state."

Melanie quickly pulled herself up, allowing the sheet to fall around her hips. "Oh Chris," she gasped, crawling over to him.

He rolled onto his back, allowing Melanie to drape herself across him. "I'm sorry, " she said, kissing his cheek.

"That was ten years ago," he shrugged. "Ten years, a stressful job and here I am."

She gave him a small smile, "Here you are," she nodded. "With me. In your bed. Having really, really good sex.

He chuckled as she laughed, "Much needed sex, too," she offered.

Chris rested his hand on her back and nodded, "Much needed indeed."

Melanie sighed, "I'm really sorry though," she shifted against him. "I couldn't imagine what you felt and what you're feeling now."

"I really haven't thought that much about it," he shrugged. "I'm with you and you're all I think about."

She blushed, "I think about you a lot, too," she admitted. "I think about you too much," she rested her forehead against his shoulder.

Chris lightly pushed her up so he could move up against the headboard, resting his back against the pillows. Melanie shifted to straddle his lap, draping her arms around his shoulders.

"Do you want to try and make this work?" he asked. "You and me?"

She smiled, "Yeah," she nodded. "Besides, I don't sleep with guys and ditch them afterwards."

He chuckled, "Good," he leaned in for a kiss. "I don't sleep with women and ditch them either."

Melanie nodded, "Good," she shifted against him. "Sex?" she asked, wrapping her arms tightly around him.

Chris moved his hands down to her hips and nodded, "Yes."

….

"Daddy?"

Leonard looked up from his book, "Yeah, Sugarplum?" he asked, as Joanna stood in the doorway of his bedroom. "Come here."

Joanna ran into the room and climbed up onto his bed, moving to sit next to him. "What's wrong?" he asked, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

"Are we going to Grandma's house for Thanksgiving?" she asked.

Leonard hesitated to answer her question, "Um, I don't know Jo," he set the book down next to him. "You're Aunt Mellie and Grandma don't really get along."

"Then can we have your friends come over?" she wrapped her tiny arm around his waist. "Mister Jim is my friend and I want him to come over," she pouted.

"Jo, a lot of my friends might be going home to see their families for the holiday," he said.

Joanna whined, "But Daddy! Mister Jim told me last week that he's not going home for turkey!"

Leonard frowned, "He did? Why not?" he asked.

Joanna rolled her eyes, "He said that his Mommy doesn't talk to him anymore and that his Daddy is taking a long nap and wont be able to come."

The Southerner didn't know how to respond, given the fact that he didn't know about Jim's past. Granted, they'd been working together for almost seven months, yet Leonard had yet to form strong relationships with is co-workers.

"So can we?" Joanna asked, breaking him out of his daze. "Can we have Mister Jim and everyone else over? You and Aunt Mellie can make food and I can help!"

Leonard chuckled, "We'll see," he offered, kissing her forehead. "We gotta ask Aunt Mel first since this is her house."

Joanna nodded and rested her head on the pillow, "Can you read me some of your story?" she asked, rolling onto her side.

Picking up the book, Leonard turned to the page he left off on and started reading. As he read to his daughter, all he could picture in his head was Jim sitting alone at his kitchen table. The image alone made his heart hurt.

…

It was late when Nyota returned to the room, quietly easing the door shut behind her. Setting the room key down along with her purse, she toed off her heels and tip-toed across the small sitting room towards her bedroom.

"Hey."

Nyota yelped, turning around quickly to find Jim sprawled across the sofa.

"Shit," she gasped, clutching her chest. "What are you doing out here?"

Moving towards the sofa, she spotted the numerous beer bottles and empty plates on the coffee table. "Ugh," she frowned, staring at the mess.

Jim sighed, "How was your date?" he asked, rubbing his eyes.

Swatting at his feet, Jim moved them off the sofa, allowing Nyota to sit down next to him. "It wasn't a date," she said. "It was a business dinner."

"Yeah, yeah," he mumbled, siting up next to her. "Did you talk about business-y things?"

"We talked about our jobs and got to know each other, "she said. "It was nice."

Jim nodded and turned his attention to the table in front of them. Nyota frowned, "What's wrong?" she asked. "You look like someone told you your dog died."

"It's nothing, "Jim shook his head. "I'm just.." he trailed off.

Nyota nudged him with her arm, "Just what?"

Jim sighed, "I'm tired of being alone."

"I didn't know you wanted to come to dinner with us, Jim," she said. "You should've said something!"

"Please," Jim rolled his eyes. "I would've stabbed myself with a fork!"

Nyota looked at him, "Jim, you're drunk and you know how you get when you're drunk."

"Ny," he turned to look at her. "I'm serious."

Turning her body to face him, Nyota pulled her feet up onto the sofa. "Talk," she said. "What's going on."

Jim sat back and looked up at the ceiling. "I'm in love with someone, but I don't know if it'll work."

Nyota gasped, "You are?" she asked, as he nodded. "Who?"

He mumbled out a name, "Jim! I don't speak in mumble!" Nyota exclaimed. "Speak up!"

Jim sighed, "Leonard."

When Nyota didn't respond, Jim turned to look at her. Nyota stared at him, mouth gaping and eyes wide. "Oh god, I should've kept my mouth shut," he cried, covering his face with his hands.

Nyota shook her head and reached out to grab his arms, "Wait, wait, wait!" she shook her head. "You're gay?"

"Bi-sexual."

"Why didn't you tell me? I've known you for like.. eleven years! You tell me everything else but you don't tell me that you're bi?!"

Jim sighed, "Ny, it's a little difficult to just come out and say something like that, when there's a shit ton of people act like assholes when it comes to that subject!"

Nyota flinched, "But Jim," she shook her head. "I would NEVER treat you any different. You're one of my best friends and I love you."

She pulled him into her arms and hugged him tightly, "You know I'll always be here for you."

Jim nodded, "I know," he whispered, hugging her back.

When they pulled apart, the chefs lay back against the sofa and sighed. "So..McCoy, huh? I wonder if he's loud in bed as he is in the kitchen."

Jim groaned and covered his face with his hands, "Nyyyyyy! Don't put imagines into my head! Leonard is totally straight and I need to move on."

Nyota shook her head, "You wont know unless you try," she patted his knee. "Ask him to hang out after work or on a Sunday. Somewhere other than the bar," she suggested.

The young man sighed and nodded, "I'll try," he scratched his leg. "But I'm not getting my hopes up."

"Atta boy," Nyota said, sitting up. "Come on. You need to get into bed and sleep and then tomorrow we can go shopping."


	12. Chapter 12

"You look like you've been thoroughly fucked into oblivion."

Melanie looked up from her lunch, catching Gaila's wicked grin. Swallowing the mouthful of salad, Melanie cleared her throat.

"Excuse me?"

Gaila shrugged, sitting back in the chair. "You've been having sex," she stated. "I can smell it on you."

"Oh my god," Melanie shook her head. "You have sex radar."

"Seriously Mel," Gaila rolled her eyes. "Give a girl some info!"

Melanie placed her fork down and sat back in her office chair, "Yes, I've been having sex.." she admitted, earning a squeal from Gaila. "Please keep it down! I don't want word getting out!"

Gaila nodded, "Sorry," she leaned forward. "Who is it? Is it someone from the office?" she whispered.

"No," she frowned. "I don't shit where I eat, Gaila."

"Well then WHO have you been sleeping with?" she asked.

Melanie sighed, "You remember that guy Nyota brought with her to the Halloween party?" she asked.

Gaila frowned, "Umm…" the look of concentration flashing across her features. "The old guy?" she asked.

"He's not that old, Gaila! He's forty-seven!" she exclaimed, as Gaila's eyes went wide.

"Mel, he's like.. three years away from becoming a fossil!"

Melanie rolled her eyes, "Anyways," she ignored her friend's comment. "We've been seeing each other.." she trailed off, as Gaila motioned for her to continue.

"And?" she asked, before her eyes went wide. "Oh my god! THAT's who you're sleeping with?"

The blonde nodded, "Yeah," she bit her lip. "Since Saturday night."

Gaila sat quietly in the chair, blinking furiously as she thought. "Is he good?" she finally asked, after a few minutes of silence.

"I've had the best sex in the last five days that I've had in the last ten years," she admitted.

"IT'S THAT GOOD?!" Gaila shrieked, nearly jumping out of her seat. "Spill! I want details! NOW!"

Melanie laughed, "I'm not giving you a full recap of what we did!" she exclaimed. "Just use your imagination!"

Gaila huffed, "Please?" she pouted.

"God, you are a sick individual! You should've wrote her dissertation on erotica instead of the Holocaust," Melanie shook her head. "It was amazing. What else do you want me to say?"

"Like.." Gaila waved her hands in a circular motion. "Is he big?"

Melanie coughed, "Gaila!"

"What?" she asked innocently. "It's just a question!"

"You can't just ask me how big he is! I am NOT answering that!" Melanie shook her head, blushing furiously.

Gaila snorted, "That means he's huge," she picked up her drink. "That's why you look worn out. You probably couldn't even walk right after the first night."

Melanie blushed, which only made Gaila laugh harder. "I am never saying another thing to you about my personal life," Melanie huffed, picking her fork up. "Not another single word!"

…

Later that afternoon, once Joanna was home from school, Melanie took her grocery shopping before returning home for dinner and homework. Taking a short break from the unappealing math homework, Melanie put Joanna in the bath.

"Okay, time to get out now," Melanie said, grabbing the towel off the counter.

Helping Joanna out, she wrapped the fluffy towel around her and led her out of the bathroom.

"When's Daddy coming home?" Joanna asked, as they stepped into her bedroom.

"Late," Melanie said, as she searched for clean pajamas. "And you'll be in bed when that happens."

Drying her off, Melanie quickly dressed her and brought her back into the bathroom to dry her hair. Once they were finished, Melanie put the hair supplies away and lightly pushed her towards the door.

"Let's get your homework done and we can start your new Percy Jackson book," she said, as the little girl quietly moved down the stairs.

By seven thirty, Joanna was in bed asleep, leaving Melanie the chance to tackle the growing pile of laundry. Once the washer was set, Melanie moved into the kitchen to clean up the remains of dinner, noting how little Joanna ate that night. Around nine, the dishes were clean and put away, and next load of laundry in the washer.

Folding up the freshly laundered set of clothes in the living room, Melanie sent a quick text to Chris, knowing that he wouldn't answer until way after eleven. Just as she placed a folded towel down on the coffee table, she heard Joanna screaming from upstairs.

"AUNT MELLIE!"

Jumping from her spot off the couch, Melanie raced up the stairs and down the hall to Joanna's room.

"What's wrong?!" she asked, running in. "What happened?"

Sitting up in her bed, Joanna clutched her side and whimpered, tears rolling down her face. "It hurts!" she wailed, as Melanie moved towards the bed.

"What hurts?" she asked, noting how Joanna was clutching her side for dear life. "Do you have a tummy ache?"

Joanna shook her head quickly, "No! It's hurts a lot!" she cried, as Melanie stroked her head.

"Okay, okay," she hugged her lightly. "DO you want me to call Daddy?" she asked, as Joanna nodded. "I'll be right back."

Dashing across the hall to her own bedroom, Melanie grabbed the cordless phone and dialed Leonard's cell. When he didn't answer, she quickly grabbed the emergency number list on her desk and dialed the number to the restaurant. Once she demanded for her brother, the woman on the line quickly got him.

"Mel? What's wrong?" he asked, as soon as he picked up on the other line.

"Jo's really not feeling good," she said, moving back into Joanna's bedroom. "I was downstairs and she started screaming for me."

Leonard shouted at someone on the other end, "Sorry," he said, moving his attention back to her. "Did she say what hurts?"

Joanna whimpered as Melanie sat down on her bed, "She's clutching her right side like crazy, Len," she shook her head. "I'm really worried."

"Shit," he cursed. "Okay, take her to the ER. I'll meet you there in ten minutes."

"The ER?" Melanie yelped. "Len!"

"Mel, just take her! It sounds like appendicitis, but I could be wrong," he said, before shouting for someone. "Better safe than sorry, darlin'."

Melanie closed her eyes and released a shaky sigh, "Okay, I'm taking her to Harborview," she said, standing up. "You know where that is right?"

"Yeah, I know where it is. I'll be there in ten minutes give or take. Keep your cell on."

Grabbing Joanna's shoes, she moved back towards her niece. "Just hurry."

"Mel, it's going to be fine," he assured her. "I love you."

"I love you, too," she replied before hanging up.

Tossing the phone onto the end of the bed, she pulled the blankets back and motioned for Joanna to move closer. "Aunt Mellie is going to take you to the doctor," she said, carefully pulling her shoes on. "Daddy's going to meet us there."

Joanna sobbed, "It hurts! I want Daddy!"

Grabbing her stuffed penguin, Melanie carefully picked her up and held her. "I know you do," she said, kissing the side of her head. "We'll see him in a little bit."

Moving down the stairs, Melanie set Joanna on the couch and ran back up to get her bag and shoes. Once their coats were on, Melanie got her into the car and doubled checked for her phone and wallet. Sending out another quick text to Chris, she placed the phone down in the passenger seat and pulled out of the driveway.

…

Jim stepped out of the fridge with a bowl of diced carrots, as Leonard moved past him.

"You're leaving?" he asked, as Leonard pulled is coat on. "It's crazy out there!"

Leonard turned to look at him, "My sister just called," he grabbed the scarf off the hook. "She's takin' Jo to the hospital."

"What?!" Jim yelped, nearly dropping the bowl. "What happened?"

"She woke up not feeling good and in a lot of pain," he sighed. "It sounds like appendicitis."

Jim stepped closer to him, "Go," he patted his arm. "I'll tell Chris and if Boyce gives you shit for it, I'll deal with it."

Leonard gave him a small smile, "Thanks Jim," he nodded. "I'll call you as soon as I know what's going on."

The younger man watched as he left directions for one of the chefs on stand-by, before grabbing his keys and phone from the shelf. "What hospital is she gonna be in?" Jim asked, as he moved to the door.

"Harborview!" he shouted, before pushing the door open. "I'll call you!"

…

Chris came back from his quick break to find Leonard gone and Jim standing still in the middle of the kitchen, clutching a bowl in his hands.

"Kirk! What are you doing? And where the fuck did McCoy go?" he asked, startling the young man.

"H-he had to leave," he said, shaking his head quickly. "Jo was taken into the ER."

"What?!" Chris quickly moved to get his phone from his office, finding three texts from Melanie and four missed calls. "Shit!" he hissed, reading the texts.

He then moved back out into the kitchen, glancing the clock on the wall. They only had one hour left before closing and even then, they wouldn't be out until eleven-thirty- midnight.

"As soon as we clear out, we'll head up to meet them," Chris said, steering Jim back to his station. "What did McCoy say?"

Jim set the bowl down onto the counter, "His sister called and said Jo was in pain, I'm guessing it was on her side because Len thinks it's appendicitis."

Chris shook his head, "Aw no," he sighed. "Poor girl."

Jim nodded, "I can't even bear the thought of Jo-jo being in so much pain," he leaned against the counter.

"Try to focus on getting these last few dishes out and hopefully by the time we get there, the doctor will know what it is for sure."

"Alright," Jim nodded, turning his attention back to the salad he was in the middle of preparing. "Don't tell the others until shift is over," he warned. "You know how Scotty and Hikaru are about Jo."

Chris nodded, "I wont say anything, "he promised, before moving away, opening his phone as he moved.

_I'm sorry about Jo. Len just left and told Jim that you'll be at Harborview. We'll come by after clean up. Everything will be fine, Mel._

Sending the text, Chris quickly pocketed his phone and went back to work, hoping that the next hour and a half would go by quickly.


	13. Chapter 13

**As you know, the hurricane is very close to NY. It's supposed to hit late tonight into tomorrow, with Tuesday being the worst of it. This might be the last post until the middle of the week, depending on what happens to the power. Hopefully we'll get lucky and won't lose it! **

Melanie paced back and forth in the emergency room, as Joanna sat on a gurney. They'd been checked in for less than five minutes, a surprise to Melanie for fast service.

"Where's Daddy?" Joanna asked, whimpering.

"He'll be here soon, Jo," she paused to look at her. "How bad is the pain?" she asked.

"I don't know. I don't want to move."

"Where's my daughter? JO? MEL?"

Melanie quickly pulled the curtain aside and peered out, spotting her brother at the nurses station.

"Len!" she called out, getting his attention.

Quickly, Leonard made his way towards them, pulling his sister into a hug. "I didn't see you in the waiting room and I thought the worst," he said, kissing her cheek. "What did they say?"

"We're waiting for the doctor to come by," she shook her head. "The nurses out there took all her information and we were called in quickly."

Leonard nodded and moved to the gurney, "Hey baby girl."

Melanie moved back so her brother could console Joanna, who began to cry hysterically at the sight of him. "It's okay, Jo," he said, rubbing her back. "The doctor is going to take care of you."

A few minutes later, the ER doctor came in and asked several questions, before ordering a blood test and a container of oral contrast for Jo. Leonard distracted Joanna as the nurse came in to retrieve the blood, informing the little girl that Jim was asking about her. Once the blood was taken, the nurse came in with the contrast.

"She needs to drink at least half of this before going in for the CAT scan," she said, showing Leonard how much she needed to drink. "Take small sips, honey."

Once the nurse left, Melanie sighed and picked up her bag. "They wanted you to fill out paperwork before," she said. "I'll go see if I can get the forms from the station."

Leonard nodded, as he unscrewed the cap to the drink. "Thank you, Mel," he looked up at her. "Really. I don't know what I would've done if you weren't there with her."

She smiled, "You're welcome," she nodded. "I'll be right back, Jo-Jo."

Stepping around the curtain, Melanie pulled out her phone and opened the new text that arrived ten minutes earlier.

_I'm sorry about Jo. Len just left and told Jim that you'll be at Harborview. We'll come by after clean up. Everything will be fine, Mel._

She sent a quick text back before pocketing her phone and walked back to the nurses' station.

….

Chris, Jim, Hikaru and Scotty didn't arrived to the hospital until after one. Clean up took longer than expected and Phil was pissed at Leonard for leaving during shift. Jim let Phil have it, shocking his co-workers, as he defended Leonard fiercely.

"Do you think we'll be allowed back there?" Hikaru asked, as they walked through the parking lot. "I mean, we're not really family."

"I can text Leonard and tell him that we're in the waiting room," Jim said, pulling out his phone.

The group of chefs made their way into the emergency room, searching for Leonard, while Chris looked for Melanie. Jim sent a text to Leonard, while Hikaru and Scotty sat down in the seats.

"Chris?"

He turned around and spotted Melanie coming out of the ladies room, her face red from crying. Moving towards her in three steps, Chris pulled her into a hug and kissed the side of her head. The sudden display of affection surprised Hikaru and Scotty, leaving Jim unfazed.

"How is she?" he asked, pulling back.

"They just took her in for a CAT scan," she sighed. "Len went in with her, so they should be out soon. The doctor did a few tests and when he pushed down on that side, Joanna was crying and it's so obvious that it's appendicitis!" she started crying again.

"Hey, it's going to be okay," Chris said, pulling her into another hug. "Jo's gonna be fine, Mel."

Melanie nodded, as she wiped her face. "I know, I'm sorry," she laughed. "I just didn't know what to do and then Len said to bring her here," she sighed. "I hate hospitals. They're nothing like Grey's Anatomy or ER."

Chris chuckled, "No McDreamy's or George Clooney's running around?" he asked, as she smiled. "Hikaru and Scotty freaked when we told them. They plan on camping out here through the night."

Scotty overheard his comment and nodded, "Ah don't need to be anywhere else, Lass! "

Hikaru and Jim nodded in agreement, "Do you need us to do anything?" Jim asked, looking concerned.

Melanie ran her fingers through her hair, "Not at the moment, "she shook her head. "As soon as we know for sure that it's appendicitis or something that requires an overnight stay, then we can figure out something."

Jim nodded and sat back in the seat, moving his attention to the television on the wall. "I better head back there and see if they're done," she sighed. "Will you be okay out here?" she asked.

Chris nodded, "I'll be fine," he rubbed her arms. "Do you want me to get anything for you? Did you eat something?" he asked.

Melanie nodded, "I'm fine right now," she gave him a small smile. "Thank you for coming, Chris."

"You're welcome," he kissed her cheek. "Keep us updated."

She nodded, "I will," she said, before turning waving goodbye to the others.

….

By four in the morning, Len, Melanie, Scotty, Hikaru, Jim and Chris all moved from the Emergency room, to the eleventh floor of Harborview. Joanna was diagnosed with appendicitis by two and in surgery a half an hour later. Scotty and Hikaru paced around the waiting room, while Leonard sat quietly in a chair. Melanie and Chris sat side-by-side across from him, talking quietly as the minutes ticked by.

"Do you want me to move her?" Leonard asked, looking across the room.

Chris shook his head, "She's fine," he glanced down at Melanie. "Let her sleep."

After an hour of waiting, Melanie managed to pass out from sheer exhaustion. Her head rested against Chris' arm, as her body slumped to the side in the chair. Chris knew she would be in pain once she woke up, but he didn't want to move her. He knew that she had been up for almost twenty-four hours straight, and she needed to sleep.

"Do you want me to take her home?" Chris asked, as Leonard looked at the time on his phone.

"We should wait until Jo gets out of surgery," he suggested. "Mel will be pissed at me if I made her go home before seeing Jo."

Chris saw the nervous look on Leonard's face, and felt for the guy. His six year old was on an operating table, having major surgery and it was emotionally compromising him.

"She's going to be fine, Len," Chris said, as Melanie shifted her head against him. "The only bad thing is she'll most likely miss a month of school."

Leonard nodded, "I know," he sighed. "I just- this is a lot for me to deal with. If I didn't have Melanie here with us, I don't even want to think about how much worse it would've been."

Chris nodded, watching as the younger man sat back in his seat. The chefs of _The Yorktown, _knew very little about Joanna's mother, since the only thing Leonard ever said about his soon to be ex, was that she was the "devil reincarnated". No one knew how the marriage ended, but they all figured that Leonard won sole custody and moved her from Atlanta to Seattle.

"I got coffee," Jim announced, returning from the cafeteria with Hikaru. "Black for you," he said, handing the cup to Leonard.

"Thanks, Jim," he said, taking a slow sip.

Jim handed a cup to Chris and two packets of sugar, "I got tea for Mel," he whispered, setting the cup down on the table.

Chris nodded, "I'll wake her up in a little bit," he said, looking down at her.

Jim nodded and moved to the empty chair next to Leonard, while Hikaru sat down next to Scotty. "Any news?" Hikaru asked.

"Nope," Leonard shook his head. "Should be soon though," he looked at the time again. "The surgery doesn't take that long and they're probably waiting for her to come out of the anesthesia before moving her."

The killed twenty minutes by checking messages and Facebook feeds, while Chris sat quietly next to Melanie. When the doctor finally came out, Leonard followed him away from the group to discuss how Joanna's surgery went.

"Mel?" Chris whispered, reaching over to shake her arm. "Mel, honey? Wake up."

She groaned, stretching her legs out as her face scrunched up. "What?"

"Jo's out of surgery," he said, shaking her lightly. "Jim brought you some tea."

Melanie peered up at him and groaned, "I'm tired," she yawned.

Leonard came back over to them, "Jo's out of surgery and everything went well," he said.

"Is she awake?" Jim asked.

"Not yet," he shook his head. "Doctor said it could take anywhere from twenty minutes to an hour for her to wake up. I' gonna head back and sit with her."

Jim nodded and Melanie sat up, "Do you want me to go with you?" she asked.

"Mel, I think you should go home and get some sleep," Leonard said, taking in the circles under her eyes. "You've been up since early yesterday morning."

Melanie shook her head, "I'm fine," she insisted, stretching her arms. "Sleep can wait."

Leonard shook his head, "Mel, please," he begged. "I can't have you looking like a zombie."

She groaned, "I'll take you home," Chris offered. "You're not that far from me."

"Are you sure?" she asked. "I don't mind sleeping out here."

"Mel, you hate hospitals," Leonard said. "And you wont get any sleep with the pages going on."

Melanie nodded, "Fine, I'll go home."

She and Chris stood up as did Hikaru and Scotty, "We're gonna head home for a little bit and we'll come back before lunch," Hikaru said.

"I have to call Ny," Jim said, grabbing his phone. "She'll kill me if I don't!"

Leonard pulled Melanie into a hug, "I'll come back later with clothes for you and Jo," she said. "Do you want me to bring food for you?" she asked.

"I'll eat whatever they have here," he said. "Don't worry about me."

"I'll bring you a sandwich," she grabbed her bag. "The food here is disgusting and loaded with sugar and whatever else that's not good for you."

Chris chuckled and handed her coat over, "I guess she told you," he said, as Melanie slipped the jacket on. "I'll call Phil and update him. Jose will work your shift tonight and the rest of the week."

Leonard nodded, "Thanks Chris."

"You're welcome," he nodded, before looking at Melanie. "Let's get you home."

The group, minus Jim, said their goodbyes before heading to the elevator. Once they piled into the car, Chris turned to Melanie.

"Give me your keys," he said, holding his hand out. "You're in no condition to drive and my car is at the restaurant."

Too tired to argue, Melanie pulled the keys out of her bag and dropped them into his hand. "Fine by me," she said, resting her head against his shoulder. "Just don't drive too fast."

…

Melanie dropped her bag on the table, as Chris closed the door behind them.

"You want anything to eat?" he asked, as he dropped her keys into the bowl.

She shook her head, "No," she replied, turning around to face him. "Can you stay?"

Chris nodded, "Of course I can," he placed a warm hand on her cheek. "I can stay for as long as you want me to stay."

Taking off her coat, Melanie placed it on the hook. Chris did the same and she took him by the hand, heading towards the staircase. Once they reached her bedroom, Melanie closed the door behind them and kicked off her shoes.

"Bathroom is over that way if you need it," she said, nodding to the door that was half open.

Chris nodded and excused himself as Melanie closed the blinds to her room. Five minutes later, both were curled up around on another, underneath the blankets. Callie, who was hiding under the bed, jumped up and moved between them, before settling down.

"I set the alarm for nine," she yawned, pressing her face against his chest. "Is that good?"

"Nine is fine," he said, rubbing his hand down her back. "Get some sleep."

Melanie nodded and closed her eyes, relaxing her body next to his. A few seconds later, she was cold to the world as the exhaustion took over. Callie meowed again, rolling around between them, before getting up and moving up to the pillows, settling down above Melanie's head. Chris yawned and shifted his head further down the pillow, before closing his eyes.


	14. Chapter 14

**I can't believe I have power. This storm is INSANE! **

Jim returned several minutes later, finding Leonard sitting alone in the waiting room.

"Where did everyone go?" he asked, sitting down next to him.

"Chris took Mel home and Hikaru and Scotty went home too,' he said, yawning. "You should go too. Get some sleep in a real bed and not in these damn chairs."

Jim shook his head, "Nah, I'll be fine," he said, resting his feet against the table. "Hikaru's a light sleeper to begin with and we all came here in Scotty's truck."

Leonard was too tired and stressed to argue, simply nodding at Jim. "I'm gonna head back there and see her," he said, sitting up. "Wanna come with?" he asked.

"Yeah," Jim nodded, surprised that Leonard was okay with having Jim around. "Yeah, I'd like that."

Together, both men stood from their seats and headed over to the nurses station, retrieving Joanna's room number, before heading down the hallway to her room.

"Do you think she'll look the same?" Jim asked, as they walked. "Like, the surgeon didn't go and turn her into a raging green monster or a superhuman that will end up saving the world while wearing spandex?"

"JIM!"

…..

Melanie groaned as the alarm clock went off in full force, pulling the blanket up over her head. She felt the bed shift as Chris sat up, reaching over her to turn the alarm off. The sudden darkness from under the blankets turned into light, as Chris pulled the sheet down to look at her.

"Hey," he greeted her, the exhaustion apparent on his face. "Time to wake up."

"Hmmmm, five minutes?" she asked, rolling over to curl against him. "Come here, I'm cold."

Chris chuckled as she burrowed further under the blankets and against him, "Five minutes," he agreed, wrapping his arm around her. "Then I'll make breakfast while you shower and get dressed."

True to his word, after five extra minutes, Chris had Melanie out of bed and in the shower. Heading down to the kitchen, Chris started on a simple breakfast of eggs and toast, while setting the table for two. He was pouring coffee into two cups, when Melanie came into the kitchen.

"Food," she smiled, moving to the table. "I'm so hungry."

Chris set a cup down next to her plate, before taking a seat next to her. "Did you call your brother?" he asked, as she picked up a piece of toast.

"I sent him a text before I got in the shower," she chewed. "Didn't get anything back from him though."

"He's probably with Jo," he nodded. "And you know how hospitals are with cellphones."

Melanie nodded, "I have to pack a few things for him and Jo," she sighed. "And then I have to clean up the house that way when she starts moving around she doesn't trip and fall and hurt herself."

Chris reached over and took her hand in his, "Mel, don't stress out," he said. "You and Len have a lot of people who care about you guys. Let us help you guys."

"I know," she nodded. "It's just hard for us; with Jo's mama being out of the picture."

They finished breakfast and placed the dishes into the washer, before moving back upstairs to the bedroom. While Chris checked his messages, sending a text out to Jim and Leonard, Melanie dried her hair in the bathroom and got dressed.

"Jim's with your brother and Jo," Chris said, as she stepped out of the bathroom. "She woke up for a little bit before the nurse came in to give her some morphine."

Melanie nodded as she pulled her hair back into a bun, glancing at the clock on the nightstand. "Maybe we'll head there around eleven-thirty? I wanna clean up a bit before they discharge her."

Chris nodded and moved towards her, "I'll clean up downstairs while you fix up her room," he said, as she shook her head to protest. "Mel, I'm not leaving you alone to do it yourself."

"I just don't want you to think I'm taking advantage of you," she sighed, as she cupped her face in his hands.

"You're not," he assured her, before kissing her. "I want to help you."

She nodded, "Okay," she sighed. "Do you want to stop at your place so you can shower and change? Unless you want to get some more sleep before work tonight."

"I'll come to the hospital with your for a while. I'm sure the guys will come by to see Jo before work and I can catch a ride back with them."

Melanie nodded and sank against him, "Thank you."

"You're welcome," he kissed her forehead. "Come on, we have a house to clean and a little girl who's being subjected to Jim's corny jokes."

…..

By mid-afternoon, after cleaning the house and stopping at Chris' apartment, Melanie and Chris arrived at the hospital twenty minutes after Hikaru, Scotty and Nyota. Joanna was awake when they stepped into the room, laughing lightly as Jim, Scotty and Hikaru cracked jokes.

Leonard stood up to greet his sister, as Chris set a duffle bag down on the chair against the wall. "Hey," he hugged her.

"How is she?" Melanie asked, looking over at her niece.

"She's doing good," he nodded. "She ate a little and the doctor plans on dischargin' her around two, hopefully."

Melanie nodded and took in the colorful display of flowers and stuffed animals that covered the tables. "So this is how you get flowers and stuffed bears? A little surgery and everyone buys out the florist?"

Chris snorted as he moved past her while Leonard rolled his eyes. "You get flowers all the time," he retorted.

"I'm the one that buys them!" she exclaimed, before moving past him to greet Joanna.

"Aunt Mellie, I have a boo-boo," she said, as Melanie sat down next to her. "The lady said I have to keep it covered for a while."

Melanie pushed back her hair, "I know baby," she cooed. "How do you feel?"

Joanna yawned, " "mtired," she mumbled. "Did you see my flowers?"

"I did," she nodded. "We're gonna have to clear off your dresser and table to put all these flowers in your room."

They talked a little longer, before Joanna fell asleep again. The nurse came in to check her vitals before kicking half of them out, claiming that they were taking up room for anyone to do their work. Leonard stayed behind at Joanna's beside, while Melanie followed the others out to say goodbye.

Nyota hugged her, "I wish we were seeing each other again under different circumstances," she said.

Melanie smiled and nodded, "I agree," she sighed. "Hey, I'm thinking about having Thanksgiving at our place and you guys are more than welcome to come by if you don't have plans. Len and Jo aren't going to Georgia until Christmas and I don't plan on leaving."

"Yeh cook, lass?" Scotty asked, as he pulled his coat on.

"Yes," she blushed. "I mean.. I can boil water?"

Jim snorted, "Does Bones know that you're signing him up to cook an entire meal?" he asked.

Melanie frowned, "He's going to take care of Jo," she insisted. "Thanksgiving is in a week and I can manage cooking a meal for everyone. How hard can it honestly be?"

"As long as you leave the dessert to me, I'm down," Nyota said. "I'll make something light for Jo."

Hikaru and Scotty agreed to come, as long as they could bring a side dish and the liquor. "We can't show up without brining something, "Hikaru said. "What kind of guests would we be?"

The three of them hugged her goodbye and made her promise to keep them updated on Joanna, before leaving.

"I'll wait for you two downstairs, "Nyota said, looking at Jim and Chris, before following the Hikaru and Scotty to the elevator.

Jim hugged her, "I'll come by and help out," he said. "We'll have to ban Bones from the kitchen at all costs because he's too bossy."

Melanie laughed, "I know," she nodded.

"I'll see ya later," he said, ruffling her hair. "Meet ya downstairs, old man."

Once Jim left, Chris turned to her. "Thanksgiving is in a week," he said. "You sure you know what you're getting yourself into?"

"I am capable of cooking, Chris," she insisted, folding her arms across her chest. "I've been cooking for myself since I was eighteen and look at me! I'm still alive."

Chris pulled her against him, "Boxed macaroni and take out do not qualify as do it yourself cooking," he chuckled.

"But you put the macaroni in the pot and stir it with a spoon!" she said. "See, do it yourself! You stand, stir and strain."

"You are too much, " he shook his head.

She grinned, "But you find me irresistible anyway."

"You're right," he nodded. "I do."

They kissed quickly, just in case Leonard decided to peep out into the hallway, before pulling apart.

"I'll call you later," he said. "Let me know if you need anything."

Melanie nodded, "I will," she kissed him again. "Make sure you take a nap before work. I don't want you setting the place on fire because you fell asleep at the stove."

He chuckled, "That's why I have Jim," he said. "He's supposed to keep that from happening."

She laughed, "Well, lets hope he keeps his eyes open tonight."

Another quick kiss and Chris was heading towards the elevator, turning around to wave goodbye as he stepped inside. Melanie smiled to herself, thinking of how lucky she'd been the last few weeks.


	15. Chapter 15

True to the doctor's word, Joanna was discharged later that day with an appointment to see the surgeon in a week. Leonard signed all the paperwork while Melanie and two nurses helped with Joanna and the supply of flowers that filled her room. Once everything was in the car, Melanie slowly drove back to the house and made sure to avoid all the potholes in the streets.

"Can I say with you?" Joanna asked, as Leonard carried her up the front steps.

"Of course you can," he said, as Melanie unlocked the front door. "We can watch a movie and then you can take a nap."

Melanie set her keys down on the table and moved back to the door, "I'll start brining her stuff in," she said. "Make sure you put pillows on her right side, Len. The doctor doesn't want her putting weight on her incision."

"I will, Mel," he started up the stairs. "Just get her stuff from the car and read those instructions the nurse gave you."

It took two trips to the car, grabbing the flowers and duffle bag while rushing through the bitter wind. Once everything was inside, Melanie read through the post-op instructions and what to expect as the recovery began. She then filled a glass up with water and brought it upstairs to Leonard's room.

"Here we go, Jo," he said, putting the pillows along the side of the bed. "Daddy's gonna get your bear and we'll put a movie on."

Melanie set the glass down on the nightstand and leaned over to brush Joanna's hair back, "I'm going to put your prescription in at the store and I'll pick up some soup."

"I have to call Phil and let him know that I need a few days off," Leonard said, as they stepped out into the hall. "I rather be here with her for the next few days."

"And I'll call her school," she looked down at her watch. "They should still be in the office until four, and tomorrow I'll pick up her homework and drop off a copy of her discharge papers."

Leonard nodded and pulled her into a hug, "Thank you, Mel," he kissed the side of her head. "I'm glad you're here with us."

Melanie hugged him back, "Me too," she nodded, before letting go. "Let me get going that way she'll have her pain medicine and everything else. Don't leave her alone for too long because she'll try to get up."

"I won't," he promised. "Be careful heading out. Looks like a storm is coming through again."

Melanie quickly moved downstairs to the kitchen, retrieving the prescription slips, her bag and keys.

"I'll be back soon!" she shouted up the stairs. "Keep your phone on!"

"I will!" Leonard shouted back.

Pulling her coat on, Melanie quickly went out the door and back down to the car. Grey clouds were rolling in and Melanie could feel the chill in her bones, despite the heavy coat she wore. She could smell the snow in the air, as she climbed into the car.

"Please don't snow," she muttered, starting the car. "Please don't snow!"

….

Two hours, and four stops later, Melanie returned to the house, carrying bags of food inside.

"What the hell did you buy?" Leonard asked, as she came down the stairs. "I thought you were getting soup and her medicine?"

Melanie dropped the bags onto the table, pulling her hat off and dropping it next to them. "They're saying a snow storm is heading this way," she headed back to the front door. "If I'm doing Thanksgiving, I want to have all the important stuff now!"

Leonard watched as she ran back out to the car, before looking into the bags. "What the hell?" he muttered, looking at the cans of cranberries, bags of potatoes and everything else.

He looked up as Melanie returned, dropping more bags from the grocery store and a bag from the library. "We're going to eat books too?" he asked, as she pulled her coat off.

Melanie rolled her eyes, "I figured Jo would like to read while she lays in bed all day long," she said, pulling a book out. "I got her this book from that Percy Jackson author and some other stuff that sounded good. I couldn't get in touch with the school, so I'll try tomorrow."

Leonard nodded, watching as she unloaded the bags. "Why did you buy so much food if it's only going to be the three of us?" he asked, as she went to the fridge.

"It's not going to be only the three of us," she said, re-arranging the contents of her fridge. "I invited your friends from work and I'm going to invite Gaila."

"You invited everyone from work?" he asked, as she moved back to the table. "Why?"

Melanie frowned, "Because they're nice people?" she shook her head. "Len, I don't understand why you act so weird about them. You saw how quickly they came last night after working for hours to see how Jo was. And Nyota is so nice and I think we could be friends, which is saying a lot because I hate being friends with girls."

Leonard sighed, "I was going to take Jo back to Georgia," he lied.

"Bullshit! I heard you talkin' to mama last week about not being able to go home until Christmas," she said, carrying the turkey over to the freezer. "And if it's gonna snow, you ain't goin' nowhere."

"I wish you asked me first!" he snapped, as she set the turkey next to the froze peas.

Melanie turned around and folded her arms across her chest, "It's my house," she snapped back. "I don't need to ask YOU for permission on who I invite over to MY house."

She then moved to the table and grabbed the bag from the pharmacy, tossing it over to him. "She get's one pill every eight hours or when the pain is unbearable," she said. "Make sure she drinks water as she takes it. I'll put a can of soup in the microwave for her."

Leonard sighed and nodded, moving out of the kitchen to bring the medicine upstairs. Melanie watched him go, shaking her head as she moved around the kitchen to put the groceries away.

"Ask for permission my ass," she mumbled, preparing a bowl of soup for Joanna. "Who the hell does he think he is?"

….

The next morning, Melanie called into work before heading out to Joanna's school. She left further instructions for Leonard and checked on Joanna before leaving the house. After dropping off a copy of the discharge papers and picking up the weeks worth of homework, Melanie made her way over to _The Yorktown. _

"Look who's here!" Jim cried, pulling her into a hug. "The nicer McCoy!"

Melanie laughed, "Hello Jim."

Hikaru and Scotty were hanging around by the coffee maker, while Nyota sat by her counter, making cupcakes.

"Hey!" she smiled, standing up to give her a hug. "How's the princess?" she asked.

"She's good," Melanie nodded. "I had to drop off the paperwork at her school and picked up her homework for the week."

Jim frowned, "Homework? The girl just had surgery! No homework!" he shook his head, as Nyota nudged him. "What? Homework sucks!"

Melanie laughed, "I know, but she needs to be on top of things. Leonard is worried that she'll fall behind, even though she's in the first grade."

Nyota shook her head, smiling. "That's Len for ya," she shrugged.

A few minutes later, Chris came out from his office and smiled at the sight of her. "Hey!"

She smiled as he came over to hug her, kissing her quickly on the cheek. "What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I was around, being the dutiful Aunt and getting a few things done for Joanna," she shrugged. "Figured I'd stop buy and see how you guys were doing."

"We're bored, lass," Scotty sighed. "All this talk about the bloody snow!"

Hikaru nodded, "Phil expects a full house tonight, even though the damn thing is supposed to hit tomorrow night," he said, rolling his eyes.

Melanie shook her head, "Do you want me to tell him to close down?" she asked. "He'll be damn sure to listen to a lady from the South. We don't tolerate bullshit."

They laughed, "You could try, but Phil puts up a good fight," Nyota shrugged. "You can only get away with so much before he turns into a bastard."

After a few minutes of chatting, Chris pulled her into the office to "talk", while the others went about their daily chores before opening. Once the door was closed, Chris had her up against the wall, attacking her mouth with his.

"I thought," she gasped, as he kissed her on the neck. "This isn't talking."

Chris chuckled, "It can be," he retorted, before silencing her with his lips.

….

As Chris and Melanie disappeared to the office, Jim quickly beckoned Scotty and Hikaru over to where he and Nyota stood.

"Okay, they are definitely fucking in there," Jim whispered. "That was totally the chick I heard on the phone that one time I called him!"

"Are you sure, lad?" Scotty asked, frowning. "Ah mean, maybe they're talking about Len's schedule."

Nyota snorted and rolled her eyes, "Do you really think a woman as gorgeous as Mel, would come all the way up here to just "talk" to Chris?" she asked, as the boys looked at her. "She's hot and Chris is hot. Who cares if they're fucking in his office?"

"But.. what about Len?" Hikaru asked. "Does he know that his sister is sleeping with Chris?" he asked.

Jim shrugged, "He didn't say anything at the hospital last night."

"Twenty bucks says the lad has no clue," Scotty betted.

Hikaru nodded, "Len seems like the type of guy who would chase any suitors off the property with a shotgun," he said, shrugging at their dumbfounded looks. "What? He's the angriest southerner I've ever encountered in my life!"

Jim snorted, "Fifty says he'll find out before the year is over and kills them both."

Nyota gasped, "Boys!"

"What?" Hikaru shrugged. "You're honestly telling us that you think Len will be totally fine with this?" he asked.

"I think Len has no say in what his sister does," she snipped. "Mel is a grown woman and she has the right to be with whoever makes her happy."

Scotty snorted, "That's a load of bullshit, lass," he shook his head. "Yeh know McCoy will slaughter them like wee lil' sheep."

Before anyone could respond, there was a thump from inside the office, followed by a giggle.

"Oh my god," Jim whispered, covering his mouth. "They are fucking in the office!"

"Shhh!" Nyota hissed. "Just, go back to work and play natural!" she ordered, waving them away from her station. "Don't cause a scene! If Phil comes back here we're all dead!"

….

Melanie re-arranged her clothes, as Chris did the same to his.

"I can't believe we just had sex in here," she said, shaking her head. "I hope they didn't hear us out there."

Chris leaned against his desk and she moved over to him, "What's that saying the kids are using today? Yo-yo?" he asked.

Melanie snorted, "Yolo?" she asked as he nodded. "You only live once, so fuck in the office while the co-workers are outside?"

He shrugged, "You didn't seem to mind," he said, pulled her into his arms. "I think you liked it."

She hid her grin as she buried her face into his neck, making him chuckle. "Come on, we better get you home so Len doesn't worry."

Fixing the clothes on last time, Melanie and Chris stepped out of the office hand in hand. The sound of the door opening, made the boys and Nyota pause at their tasks and look at them. Melanie and Chris stopped and stared back at them, the silence thick between them.

Then Jim smiled, "So, when's the wedding?" he asked.

Melanie blushed, "Jim," Chris warned, as the younger chef shook his head.

"What? It was a simple question!" he protested. "I mean, you're doing things behind closed doors that only mommies and daddies do! So you have to get married!"

Scotty snickered as Hikaru ducked down to hide his laughter. Nyota rolled her eyes at the immaturity level, as Chris and Melanie watched them in embarrassment.

"Please don't tell Len," Melanie begged, which ended the laughter immediately.

Jim went from joking manner to serious within seconds, "What? He doesn't know?"

Chris shook his head and Melanie continued, "Len can be a real idiot when it comes to me and dating," she said. "I haven't been lucky in the dating department since I was a teenager and I really don't want him to ruin this."

Scotty and Hikaru nodded, "We wont say a word, lass," Scotty promised. "Yer brother wont be told a thing."

Nyota shook her head, "When you're ready to tell him, we'll stand by you," she said. "I know he's your brother and he has the right to be protective of you, but you're a grown woman."

Melanie nodded, "Thank you."

Jim sighed, "You're too cute to say no to," he said, shaking his head. "I won't say a word to grumpy pants," he promised.

"Thank you," she said, looking at them all. "Really, it means a lot to us."

"I'll walk you to your car," Chris whispered, moving to get his jacket.

Nyota stood up from her seat and moved around, "Take some cupcakes home," she said, placing a few of the baked goods into a box. "I know Jo wont be able to eat them for a few days, but they'll last until the weekend."

She wrapped the box up and handed it to Melanie, "And you could use a cupcake," she said, tugging at the ends of her disheveled hair. "Make sure you fix your hair before you get home," she whispered. "The swollen lips can pass for the bitter cold."

Melanie gasped and reached up to touch her lips, "Thank you," she whispered, blushing in embarrassment. "We just haven't gotten the chance to .. you know."

Nyota nodded and smiled, "I know what you mean," she said. "Is it okay if I get your number from Chris? If you're still hosting Thanksgiving I want to make sure I'm in contact with you about dessert and what Joanna can eat now since the surgery."

Melanie nodded, "That's fine," she said. "I'll be home the next few days to help out around the house and the office will shut down for this storm."

Chris came up to them, jacket on and zipped. "Ready?" he asked.

She nodded, "I'll talk to you later, Ny," she smiled at the pastry chef. "Thank you for the cupcakes."

"You're welcome! Be good!" she said, moving back to her work.

Melanie said goodbye to the others, as she and Chris made their way outside. Once the back door was shut, they walked to her car.

"I'm sorry," Chris said, as they walked. "They can be overwhelming."

She shook her head, "It's fine," she said, taking her keys out of her bag. "Maybe it's good that they know about us."

He nodded as she unlocked the car, "I'll call you later," he said, as she set her bag and the box of cupcakes onto the passenger seat.

Melanie nodded, "If it starts snowing earlier than expected, you tell that Phil guy to shut the place down."

Chris chuckled, "I will," he nodded, before kissing her. "Be good."

"I always am," she retorted, before climbing into her car. "It's you that needs to be reminded."

She then closed the door and started the car up, waving goodbye as she pulled out of the parking spot. Chris walked back to the restaurant, turning back to watch as her car pulled out of the parking lot and onto the street. Once the car was out of sight, he sighed and went back inside.


	16. Chapter 16

The rest of the week went by slowly, as Seattle was hit with a snowstorm. During the two-day event, Leonard and Melanie were locked in the house with Joanna, trying to keep the peace between them. But they were McCoys, and arguments were bound to happen. It all started when Melanie was in the kitchen, face timing with Jim through her computer, as they discussed what she would be making for Thanksgiving. Leonard was still annoyed that his co-workers would be sharing the holiday with them, grumbling on and on as Melanie and Jim chatted.

Once their chat ended, Melanie raised hell, screeching at her older brother for being a "jackass" and threatening to kick his ass all the way back to Georgia. Then Joanna started feeling sick, having gone to the bathroom for the frist time since the surgery. When the toilet was filled with blood, Leonard freaked out and tried to get Joanna to the hospital.

"There's no reason why the toilet should be filled with blood!" he shouted, as Melanie tried to keep him from leaving. "She's fucking six years old! That's too early to start the damn monthly cycle of being a she-devil!"

It took one phone call with the surgeon, explaining the situation, only to report back to Leonard that it was normal.

"She's had major surgery and she's all stitched up in there," she said, setting Joanna on the sofa. "The surgeon said it's normal to have blood in the bowel movement. If it's consistent by the weekend and she's in serious pain, then we will take her to the ER."

Joanna nodded, "Daddy stop yelling," she whined, as Melanie put the television on for her. "Come watch a movie with me!"

Leonard grumbled at his sister, while she rolled her eyes and went back into the kitchen to make dinner for them. "Do you want me to take you to the doctor?" he asked, sitting down next to Joanna.

"NO! No doctor!" she shook her head, holding the blanket tightly to herself. "Movie."

…..

Once the storm was over, Melanie was surprised that she didn't murder her brother and disposed is body into the woods behind the house. Gaila came by after stopping at the office, checking up on Joanna and asking Melanie about her "fuck-buddy", while Leonard went out to the store.

"Shut your mouth!" Melanie hissed, peeking out into the den. "My niece is in the other room!"

"Well?" Gaila asked. "Are you still seeing him?"

Melanie nodded, "I saw him the day before it started snowing," she flipped through the recipe application on her IPad. "He came to the hospital the night Joanna went in. Took me home the next morning and stayed with me."

Gaila studied her friend closely, "You really like him, huh?" she asked.

She blushed and nodded, "I do," she confirmed. "But we can't let Len know because he will flip his shit and that will be the end of it."

The red-head nodded, "I wont say anything."

"Good, because he's going to be here for Thanksgiving," Melanie said, as her friend gasped. "So you better not make some witty comment when you're introduced to one another. You might find your Jimmy Choo collection in ruins."

….

Keeping in close contact with her new friends and Chris, Thanksgiving arrived quicker than Melanie expected. She woke up early that Thursday morning, taking over every space in the kitchen, while her brother and niece slept. Cook books from the library covered the table, while her IPad and Laptop were plugged in and cooking videos and recipes covered the screens.

By the time Len shuffled into the kitchen, around nine-thirty, Melanie was covered in bits of celery, breadcrumbs and other bits of food, as she sliced and chopped away.

"Jesus Christ," Len mumbled, as he started the coffee machine. "What the hell are you doing?"

Melanie dumped the chopped celery into a bowl and grabbed another bunch, "What does it look like I'm doing?" she asked, chopping away. "I'm trying to cook here."

Len shook his head, "It's too early to start on all this shit! You should be working on putting the damn bird in the oven if you want it halfway done by three!

She ignored him as she diced, glancing up at the computer on the table. "Paula Dean?" he asked. "Seriously? Are we trying to give everyone a heart attack?"

"Leonard, if you don't shut your mouth, I will kill you," she snapped.

He grabbed his cup of coffee and took a quick sip, before setting it down. Grabbing a bowl off the counter, Leonard moved to stand next to her. "Move over," he said, placing the bowl down. "You're not going to get all of this done in time and you honestly have no clue on what you're doing."

Ready to protest, Leonard held his hand up to silence her. "Please," he begged. "I'm trying to be nice here."

Melanie rolled her eyes and set the knife down on the cutting board. "A real shock there," she snapped, before moving to the fridge. "If you want the damn turkey in the oven now, then YOU put it in. I'm going to see if Jo wants breakfast."

…..

By the time the first of their guests arrived, Melanie had half of the food done and ready. The table had been set with Grandma McCoy's china, the dining room set for a big Thanksgiving meal. In the kitchen, Melanie managed to put the dirty dishes into the washer, while moving quickly to put the finishing touches on dinner.

"Smells good in here!"

Melanie turned around and smiled, as Jim and Hikaru came into the kitchen. "Hey! You made it!"

They came over to give her a kiss on the cheek, observing the food that she and Leonard prepared. "Wow, I really wasn't sure what I was expecting, "Jim said. "But shit girl, you did good!"

She laughed, "I told you!"

"Where do you want this?" Hikaru asked, holding up a tin tray. "We made cornbread stuffing with sweet potatoes and squash."

"Oooohhh," Melanie gasped, her eyes wide. "That sounds yummy."

She then pointed to the counter that had limited free space, "And I made four-cheese macaroni and biscuits," Jim said, setting his bounty next to Hikaru's. "Ya didn't leave many free options, Miss. I think you made everything."

Melanie laughed, "I'm sorry," she said, moving to check the potatoes in the oven.

"Jim! Hikaru!" Joanna shouted, as she came into the kitchen.

"Chickpea!" Jim cried, moving towards her. "Look how pretty you are," he said,

Joanna blushed, " Thank you."

Jim and Hikaru hugged her lightly, avoiding her incision and allowed the six year old to pull them into the den. The doorbell went off, and Melanie shouted out that it was open.

A few minutes later, Chris appeared in the kitchen. Melanie smiled and moved away from the counter towards him.

"Hi," she smiled, kissing him quickly. "Jim and Hikaru just arrived," she said, leading him towards the table. "You can put everything here," she said.

Chris set down a small case of wine and pulled her into his arms, "Len home?" he asked.

Mel shook her head, "No, he went to get Scotty and Pavel," she said, as he kissed her. "Said his truck was snowed in."

"I've missed you," he said, as she wrapped her arms around him.

"Me too," she sighed. "I'm glad you're here."

They were too busy kissing when Jim came back into the kitchen, whistling at the scene before him. "Look at you, Old Man," he grinned.

Melanie blushed as she moved back to the counter, while Chris shook his head. "Jim, why aren't you watching tv like a good boy?" he asked, as the young man plucked a tomato out of the carton.

"Because I wanted to see if Miss Mellie needed any help," he said, faux southern accent in affect. "Oh my god, you're Melanie Hamilton!

"Oh god," Chris groaned, as Melanie laughed. "And you," Jim turned to him. "You're Ashely! Oh my goddddd! That means Bones is Rhett Butler and Jo is Bonnie Blue!"

"And who are you?" Melanie asked. "Prissy?"

Chris snorted as Jim clutched the front of his shirt. "But- but.. I don't know nothin' about birthin' no babies!" he shouted shrilly.

Melanie hunched over the counter, laughing until tears rolled down her face. "S-shut up!" she snorted, as Jim continued to talk in the high voice. "I'm going to cut my freakin' fingers off if you keep doing that!"

"What's this about cutting fingers off?" Nyota asked, as she came into the kitchen. "The door was unlocked."

Chris and Jim helped Nyota with her bags, as Melanie moved to make room for everything in the refrigerator.

"Pumpkin-pecan cheesecake, sweet potato-pecan cupcakes with cream cheese frosting, and plain ol' chocolate and vanilla cupcakes for Jo," Nyota said, as she carefully placed her masterpieces in the fridge. "I wanted to make more, but I didn't want to overwhelm you with leftovers."

Melanie shook her head, "This is fine! I can't wait to eat all this food!"

"But how ever will you fit into your ball gown, Miss Mellie?" Jim asked.

The front door opened and closed, as a range of voices filled the air. A few minutes later, Leonard came in with Scotty and a younger man. Melanie went to welcome the newcomer, as Leonard greeted his co-workers.

"Are you guys hungry? I can put some food out now and I think there's a game on now," she said, looking down at her watch. "Turkey wont be done for at least an hour."

"Whatever you want to do, Miss Mellie," Jim said.

Leonard frowned, "Why the hell are you callin' her Miss Mellie?" he asked, making the others snicker.

"Hush Rhett," Jim said, rolling his eyes.

The look of puzzlement on her brothers face, made Melanie laugh as she moved around the kitchen. "Go put the game on, Len. Everyone else can make themselves at home!"

The boys moved out of the kitchen, leaving Melanie, Nyota and Chris behind in the kitchen.

"What do you want to put out?" Nyota asked, standing next to the stove. "Everything smells so good!"

"We can put out some fried potato wedges and I made spinach dip," Melanie said, moving to the fridge. "I think Len bought enough beer to intoxicate an entire football team."

As the girls put the food together, Chris went to check on the boys. Once Nyota was heading out to the den, Chris was making his way back into the kitchen. Melanie was checking on the turkey again, before tossing a few extra potatoes on the bottom rack.

"Are you going out with Nyota and Gaila later?" he asked, as she shut the oven door.

Melanie shook her head, "Probably not," she shrugged. "I did give Gaila money to pick up a couple jeans from the outlet, but I'm not a big fan of Black Friday."

Chris nodded, "You wanna come over then? Spend the night?" he asked.

She nodded, "Yes please," she nearly begged, making him laugh. "After a week home with my brother, I need a night away from him."

"That bad, huh?" he asked, as she nodded. "Well, hopefully everything will go smoothly tonight."

"I hope so," she sighed.


	17. Chapter 17

Melanie's first Thanksgiving as a host went off without any issue, as her guests enjoyed a meal, football and good conversation. Gaila arrived shortly before everyone sat down to eat, drawing the attention of Scotty as she slipped into the dining room. After a fulfilling meal, Melanie shooed the boys into the den to watch the rest of the game, while the girls cleaned up.

"I need you to pretend that I'm going out with you guys later," Melanie said, as she rinsed the dishes off.

Gaila tossed the dirty napkins into the trash, "Why?"

"Because Chris asked me to spend the night at his place, and I need an alibi."

Nyota shook her head, "Sneaking out of your own house," she sighed. "Fine, we'll go along with it."

Melanie smiled at them, "Thank you," she nodded, before turning her attention to the food on the countertops. "What the hell am I going to do with all of this?"

"Put away what you can and then make up a few plates to give to the boys," Nyota suggested. "They only eat real food when they're on break."

Gaila shook her head, "You'd think a bunch of chefs would make food all the time," she sighed.

"Oh hush," Melanie scolded. "You have the diner on speed dial! I've never seen you make a meal with your own hands!"

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

By ten, Nyota and Gaila were ready to leave, in order to make it to the outlets before opening at twelve-thirty. By that time, the boys were falling asleep on various pieces of furniture in the den, as the football game came to an end.

"I made up plates if anyone wants to bring food home, " Melanie said. "Please take something! I've been overwhelmed and I won't be able to eat all of it!"

She then turned to Leonard, "I'm going out with Nyota and Gaila," she moved to check on Joanna. "Are you going to be fine here?" she asked.

Leonard nodded, "Yeah," he sighed. "Jim and I are going to watch the highlights."

With a nod, Melanie moved quickly upstairs to change her clothes. She then shoved a few toiletries and a change of clothes into a large pocketbook, before going back downstairs.

"Thank you for coming!" she said, hugging Hikaru goodbye.

"It was a pleasure, lass," Scotty said, kissing her cheek. "Yeh did mighty fine with the holiday."

"Best food ever!" Pavel said, holding a wrapped up plate in his hand. "I can't tell you how much I've missed a home-cooked meal. The campus food SUCKS."

Melanie laughed, "I know," she nodded. "You'd think the universities would have decent food for the price you pay."

She watched as Scotty, Pavel and Hikaru piled into Hikaru's car, pulling away from the curb and slowly moving down the street. Melanie then moved back inside, heading back into the den.

"Okay, I'm leaving," she said, as Jim and Leonard sat on the couch. "Do you want me to put Jo to bed?" she asked.

Joanna had fallen asleep sometime between the start of the third quarter to the very end of the game, curling herself up against Jim's side.

"Nah," Leonard shook his head. "I'll bring her up in a little bit."

Melanie nodded and went back into the kitchen, "I'm just waiting for Gaila and Nyota and then we can leave."

Chris nodded as Callie sat on the edge of the countertop, meowing and rubbing against his arm. "She finally came out," he said, Melanie moved to filled up her bowl. "I take it she doesn't enjoy a full house?"

"Nope," she laughed, as Callie quickly stuffed her mouth. "She likes you though."

A few seconds later, Gaila and Nyota came barreling into the kitchen, snatching the coats off the back of the chairs. "I am ready to shop!" Gaila squealed.

Melanie pulled her coat on and quickly went to say goodbye to Leonard and Jim.

"Be careful," Leonard said, as he followed them to the door. "If it gets too crazy out there, then come home or stay with the girls."

"Yes brother," Melanie said, kissing his cheek. "Be good and don't wreck my house."

Leonard watched as the foursome headed to their cars, pulling away from the curb and out of the driveway, one by one. Once they were out of sight, Leonard moved back into the house and shut the door behind him.

"Hey Jim?" he shouted, heading into the kitchen. "You got room for more cheesecake?"

"Hell yeah!" Jim shouted back. "Nyota needs to make it more often!"

…

"I ate too much food," Melanie groaned into the pillow. "I don't even think I'll be able to fit into my new jeans."

Chris chuckled next to her, "You will," he said, as she shifted her head to look at him. "We could go for a walk tomorrow morning if it's nice out."

Melanie yawned, "Hmm, or we can just sleep off all that food."

"That is impossible," he said, flipping through the channels. "Unless we do more than sleeping."

Melanie groaned, "I don't even want to think about being naked right now," she said, closing her eyes. "I just gained thirty pounds tonight."

Claude took the opportunity to jump onto the bed and onto Melanie's back, before laying down on her. "Nice kitty," she mumbled. "I'm tired."

"Go to sleep, then," he said, moving Claude off her back. "You've been up all day and on your feet."

Melanie simply nodded as she snuggled further into the pillow, while Chris pulled the blanket up to cover her.

….

As quickly as sleep came to them both, it was quickly disrupted from a loud bang and screaming. Melanie groaned and pressed her hands over her ears while Chris woke up with a jolt. When he finally realized what was going on, he too groaned and pulled the blankets over his head.

"Not again," he groaned, as Melanie scooted closer to him. "I hate these idiots."

From the apartment upstairs, a couple could be heard arguing at one another.

"_FUCK YOU! YOU'RE ALWAYS GOING OUT AND COMING HOME SMELLING LIKE ANOTHER BITCHES PERFUME!" _

Melanie shuddered, "How can you stand it?" she whispered, as Claude purred contently above her head.

Chris sighed, "They haven't fought like this in months," he said, as Melanie ducked under the blankets. "I figured they moved out or killed each other."

The sound of glass breaking made her yelp, "Maybe we should call the landlord? Or the cops?"

But Chris shook his head, "I don't get involved," he said, wrapping his arm around her. "The woman across the hall from them always calls the cops. She's got two kids and they're always waking them up with their fights."

"_I HOPE YOU FUCKING DIE YOU PIECE OF SHIT! GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE!" _

"That is horrifying," Melanie gasped, as Chris kissed her forehead. "I could never imagine saying something like that to anyone."

The shouting continued as more items crashed the floor above the bedroom. After five minutes, Chris sat up and pushed the blankets off.

"We wont get any sleep if we stay in here," he said, getting out of bed. "Let's go in the living room."

Melanie crawled out of bed and grabbed the pillow, clutching it under her arm while she followed him out of the bedroom. They tumbled down onto the large couch, shifting around until they were wrapped around one another, the throw blanket partially covering them.

"We're going to be in so much pain later," she mumbled, against his neck.

Chris yawned, "As soon as they stop we can move back into the bedroom," he promised, kissing her forehead. "Go to sleep."

….

Around four-thirty, Chris woke up to use the bathroom. By then, the rude neighbors from upstairs were silent, signaling that either a double homicide or the police finally arrested both of them. He went back into the living room and scooped Melanie off the couch, carrying her back into the bedroom.

"Hmmm, what time is it?" she mumbled, as he set her down on the mattress.

"It's still early," he whispered, kissing her cheek. "Go back to sleep."

When the sun finally came out two hours later, both Melanie and Chris were awake.

"I'm sorry about last night," he said, as they made their way into the kitchen. "I wouldn't blame you if you wanted to head home to get some more sleep."

She shook her head, "I'm fine," she shrugged, pulling herself up onto the counter. "I've had worse nights."

Moving to the coffee machine, Chris grabbed the empty pot and brought it to the sink. "Do you have to be home soon?" he asked, filling the pot with water.

Melanie shook her head, "Nope," she grinned. "I want to stay here with you."

"I want you to stay too," he said, setting the coffee maker up, before turning around to face her. "But I also don't want your brother coming after me for my blood."

She groaned, "We're gonna have to tell him eventually," she wilted at the thought.

Chris pushed away from the counter and moved across the kitchen to stand before her. "He'll get over the fact that we hid it," he said, taking her hands into his. "He can't control who you date, Mel."

"I know," she nodded, draping her arms over his shoulders. "When the time is right, we'll tell him. He's stressed out between Joanna's recovery and the on-going divorce proceedings."

"When you're ready to tell him," he said, pushing her hair back, "We'll do it together."

Melanie nodded, "Until then," she sighed, "Can we have some coffee and go back to sleep?" she asked.

Chris chuckled, "How about we skip coffee for now and have it later?' he suggested.

She nodded and watched him move back to the opposite counter, turning the machine off. Hoping down off the other counter, Melanie waited for him, taking his outstretched hand. They moved through the apartment and back down the hall to the bedroom, both consumed with exhaustion and arousal. It frustrated Melanie to no end, feeling like this. Eventually, she thought as Chris laid her across his bed, her brother would find out. And when he did, it would be a goddamn war.


	18. Chapter 18

"So I've been thinking about our upcoming trip to Atlanta for Christmas," Leonard said, two weeks later.

Melanie looked up from Joanna's Christmas list and nodded, "What about it?" she asked.

Leonard cleared his throat, "Jo really wants you to come with us," he said, as Melanie sighed. "I know you and Mama don't get along.."

"Len, I'm not going," she said, shaking her head. "I left Atlanta and I don't plan on going back. If it was to see Daddy, fine.. but I cannot see Mama after everything she's done to me."

"Mel, eventually you two will have to see each other! She's part of Jo's life and I can't keep taking time off from work to take her to Georgia."

Grabbing the empty teacup and list, Melanie stood up from the table. "Well, she's not welcomed in _my _house," she snapped. "If you want her over so bad, then you'll have to find your own goddamn place."

….

"He just doesn't get it when I tell him that I don't want to see her."

The next day, Melanie and Chris headed out early to do some Christmas shopping, beating the mid-afternoon rush. Afterwards, they grabbed some coffee and headed to the park by the ferry and walked around.

"So he's going to fly out with Jo and have Christmas there, and leave you home alone?" he asked, as she kicked a rock down the path. "That doesn't sound very nice."

Melanie wrapped her arm around his waist, "This is Leonard we're talking about," she sighed. "He's never nice."

Chris wrapped his arm around her shoulders, "What are you going to do when they're in Atlanta?" he asked.

"I don't know," she shrugged. "Probably eat mac and cheese and watch re-runs of Gilmore Girls or NCIS."

"NCIS? I figured you were more of a Law and Order kinda girl."

Melanie looked up at him, "And skip the weekly dose of Mark Harmon?" she asked, shocked. "I like my men older with a touch of grey."

Chris pulled her close to kiss her cheek, "So you have a thing for silver foxes, huh?" he asked, playfully.

She giggled, "What can I say? I find them irresistible," she nearly purred. "What are you doing for the holidays?"

"I was thinking about heading to my parents house this year," he said.

Melanie nodded slowly, "Oh?"

"Yeah," he shrugged. "I haven't spent Christmas with them since the divorce."

"It'll be fun though," she said, trying to lighten the mood. "They would love to see you."

They continued down the path near the lake, holding onto one another as the wind picked up. The snow and ice crunched under their boots, as children shouted in the distance while playing.

"Come with me," he said after a few minutes. "Spend Christmas in California with me and my crazy parents."

Melanie looked at him quickly, stopping in the middle of the path. "What?" she asked.

Chris nodded, "Please? It'll be warm and sunny and you wont be alone."

He was nearly pouting, begging like a small boy in a toyshop, which made her smile. "Okay," she nodded. "I'll go to California with you."

…..

"How are you going to whisk her off to California for four days?" Nyota asked the next morning, as she sat before Chris in his office. "You guys are leaving the day before Len and Jo head out to Georgia!"

Jim sighed, "I'm sure you'll come up with something," he said, rolling his eyes. "I mean, you guys used the "I'm going shopping with the girls!" on Thanksgiving."

Nyota and Chris exchanged looks of alarm, making Jim snort. "Chill out!" he laughed. "Did you really think I was born yesterday? You guys kept shooting the "bedroom eyes" across the damn table that night."

"Oh my god," Chris muttered, shaking his head. "Kid, you are too much."

Jim shrugged, "I'm not "too much". I'm perfect."

"A perfect Prissy, from what Melanie told me," Nyota grinned. "I'm surprised you even know anyone besides Rhett and Scarlett. Didn't take you for a classics film buff."

Jim rolled his eyes, "I may not be as old as our friend here," he pointed to Chris. "But I know my shit."

"First off, I take offense at being called old," he shook his head. "And I'm sure Melanie and I can pull something off to keep McCoy from getting suspicious."

"Don't you hate it thought?" Jim asked. "The hiding and sneaking around to have some time with your girlfriend?"

Chris shrugged, "It sucks, but you know how McCoy gets," he sighed. "I don't want to push her into telling him when she's not ready. I don't want to push her to do anything outside her comfort zone."

Nyota nodded, "I think it's good that you're taking her to Cali," she shrugged. "And being patient with her."

"I want this to work," Chris said, determined. "I've never wanted anything so much before in my life."

Jim smiled, "You love her."

Nyota gasped, "Jim!" she hissed.

Chris shook his head at Nyota, "I do," he said, sitting up in his seat. "I love her."

"Fuck," Nyota snapped. "Don't make me cry!"

"You think she's the one?" Jim asked.

Chris looked down at the papers on his desk, "Maybe," he shrugged. "You guys probably think I'm crazy."

Nyota shook her head, "No you're not," she smiled. "You're moving on."

Jim nodded in agreement, glancing at Nyota with a smile on his face.

Chris chuckled to himself, shaking his head. "Yeah," he nodded. "I guess I am."

…..

"Aunt Mellie!" Joanna shouted from the kitchen. "Callie's poopie box smells!"

Melanie looked up from her laptop, groaning. "Joanna, get away from her litter box!" she shouted.

Joanna came running in a few minutes later, "Callie stinks," she pouted, climbing onto the sofa. "Why does she smell so bad?"

"Jo, poop smells bad in general," she said, as the little girl grabbed the remote.

She then opened her laptop again and went back to checking the weather around Mojave, located in the southwestern region of the Mojave Desert. When she saw that the weekly high was in the eighties, Melanie felt the relief of leaving the bitter cold of Seattle. She and Chris were due to leave on the twenty-first, taking a late flight out of Seattle to LAX before taking a connecting flight out to Palmdale Regional Airport, early the next morning.

"Can you make me lunch?" Joanna asked, laying her head down on one of the couch pillows. "I'm hungry."

Melanie sighed, "You are just like your Daddy," she said, turning the laptop off. "Bossy and human garbage pits."

Joanna giggled as Melanie got up, "Daddy said I need to eat more since I'm recovering."

"You do," Melanie nodded. "You've lost a lot of weight since that damn surgery," she said. "What do you want?"

"Pizza!" Joanna exclaimed.

Melanie laughed and shook her head, "No pizza," she said, as Joanna groaned. "You need to eat healthy, Jo. You heard what the doctor said."

Joanna pouted, "Fine," she sighed, pushing her curly hair away form her face. "But no brusselly sprouts!"

"No brusselly sprouts," Melanie nodded as she turned into the kitchen.

….

"What do you want for Christmas?"

Melanie was hanging upside down off of Chris's bed, watching as he moved around his room, putting laundry away.

"Nothing," he said, closing the dresser drawer.

She groaned, "You sound like every typical man in the world," she patted her foot on the mattress. "I know you want something!"

"I already got what I wanted," he moved towards the bed, sitting down next to her. "I got this absolutely gorgeous girl," he started, pulling her up into a sitting position. "And she's coming all the way to California to spend the holiday with my and my family."

Melanie blushed, "You have a way with words," she said. "But really. You don't want anything for Christmas?"

Chris chuckled, "Really," he rested his hand against the side of her neck. "I'm fine with what I have."

She gave him a small smile, "Okay," she nodded.

"I mean it, Mel," he said, tone serious. "You got that look in your eye which means you're up to something."

Melanie giggled, "I do not," she protested, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I was just thinking how much easier the remainder of my holiday shopping will be. No stress now."

Chris tickled her lightly, making her squeal. "Stop! Stop!" she begged.

Giving in, Chris let her go, allowing her to sit up and turn around to sit next to him. "I should probably head back to the office," she said, glancing down at her watch. "Need to get some work done before my boss forces me to stay home for the holiday."

They both got up off the bed, moving through the apartment to the front door. Melanie slipped her boots back on, before wrapping herself up in her coat and scarf. Chris retrieved her hat from the table, carefully pulling it down onto her head.

"Can't get sick," he said, as she pouted at him. "Besides, you look cute."

"I look ridiculous," she muttered, pushing a loose curl up under the hat. "I can' wait to have four days of wearing non-winter items."

"Less than a week," he said, kissing her. "Make sure you pack a sweater though. It gets cold at night."

Melanie sighed, "One sweater. Got it."

Grabbing her bag off the back of the chair, she grabbed her phone and keys off the table and started towards the door.

"I'll call you later, " she said, opening the door. "Have fun at work."

"I'll try," he said, turning to clean up the dishes from lunch. "Try not to throw office supplies at your researchers this time."

Melanie laughed as she opened the door, "I'll make sure it's not the stapler this time," she promised, before closing the door behind her.


	19. Chapter 19

"Why are we opening presents now?" Joanna asked, as they sat around the tree in the den. "Christmas is on Saturday!"

"Because your Aunt has to fly to Arizona tomorrow night and we're going to Georgia on Wednesday," Leonard said, taking a seat on the floor by the tree.

Melanie nodded, "I want to see you open your presents tonight before I leave, Jo-Jo."

Leonard and Melanie watched as Joanna unwrapped the presents from Melanie, ranging from clothes to a few dolls that she asked for.

"I didn't get you any books, because you have so many of them, "Melanie said, as Joanna opened a small gift box that contained a gift card to the bookstore. "We can go pick out a few more when I come home," she said.

Joanna gave her a hug, "Thank you, Aunt Mellie," she said, kissing her cheek.

Melanie smiled, "You're welcome, baby," she hugged her tightly. "You like everything?"

"Yes! I can't wait to wear all my new clothes and play with all my toys!" she exclaimed, rushed back to her stockpile. "Daddy! Can I give Aunt Mellie my present now?" she asked.

Leonard chuckled, "Go on," he said, nodding to the small pile of boxes in the corner. "You know which one it is."

Melanie watched with a frown, as Joanna rushed to the gifts, picking up the smallest box of the bunch. She then moved towards the couch, "This is for you," she said, handing the box to her. "Daddy and I picked it out."

She looked down at the neatly wrapped box, before looking up at Leonard. "Don't keep her waitin' Mel," he smiled. "Joanna's been buggin' me for weeks about that gift."

Joanna nodded, "Open! Open!" she begged, as Leonard got up off the floor. He walked over to them, scooping Joanna up into his arms before taking a seat next to her on the couch.

Melanie pulled at the paper, setting it to the side. "Oh guys," she whispered, shaking her head. The long, black box signaled that it was a piece of jewelry, meaning that her brother must've spent a small fortune on this gift. "Len!"

"Just open the damn box," he said, as Joanna squirmed on his lap. "Before this one opens it for you."

Pulling the box open, Melanie gasped. "Oh my god!" she exclaimed, looking down at the charm bracelet inside. "You didn't!"

Joanna nodded; "Yes we did!" she smiled. "Daddy kept sayin' how you wanted a charm bracelet for a long time, but didn't want to spend a lot of money on it."

Melanie traced the small charms that consisted of ships, paddleboats and oars. The colorful gems in blue and green sparkled in the tree lights. She then looked up at them both, tears filling her eyes.

"You don't like it?" Leonard asked, growing alarmed at her reaction.

Joanna gasped, "Did we do something bad?" she asked quietly, looking up at Leonard.

Melanie quickly shook her head, swiping at her face. "Oh god no!" she laughed. "It's beautiful!" she said, setting the box down and pulling them both into a hug.

She kissed them both on the cheek, "Thank you."

Joanna hopped off Leonard's lap and snatched a cookie off the table, "Can we watch a movie now?" she asked.

"Give us a minute, Jo," Leonard said, as he stood up form the couch. "We need to clean this mess up and you need to put your jammies on."

"Wait! I have to give you your present!" Melanie said, pushing up off the couch. "Let me go get it," she started towards the stairs.

Leonard lightly grabbed her arm, "Later Mel," he said. "First lets worry about this one and then later you can do it."

"Are you sure?" she asked. "It'll only take a second."

He pulled her into a hug, "I'm sure," he said. "Besides, you're a gift. Everything you've done for Jo and me. Its enough to make anyone happy for the holidays."

Melanie felt her eyes tear up again, as she pulled him closer into the hug. "I love you, Len."

"I love you too, Mellie," he said, kissing the side of her head. "I'm thankful to have you as a sister."

As they stood in the den, embraced in each other's arms, Melanie couldn't help but feel awful for the secrets she'd been keeping from him. She knew his feelings about her would change, once the truth came out.

…

The next night, as Chris and Melanie sat outside the gate to their flight, Melanie kept replaying the scene in her head.

"You've been really quiet," Chris said, placing his hand on the back of her neck. "Mel, you're ice cold!"

She turned to look at him, "What?" she asked, breaking out of the haze of consuming thoughts. "Is it time to go?"

Chris shook his head, "Not for another hour," he said, frowning. "Are you feeling alright?" he asked.

Melanie nodded, "Yeah," she answered quickly. "It's been a long day."

She couldn't bear the thought of spilling her feelings, as they were set to board a two and a half hour flight to LAX. They would then sit and wait for the early morning flights to resume, sleeping inside the terminal until taking the first flight out at six. The last thing she wanted was to start a silly argument with Chris. She needed the four days with him and away from home.

Chris nodded, "We'll be on the plane soon and you can take a nap," he said, rubbing the back of her neck.

Melanie leaned over and kissed him quickly, before settling her head against his arm. Pushing the guilt to the back of her mind, Melanie focused on the next four days with Chris and his family.

…

When they finally landed at Palmdale Regional Airport, early the next morning, Melanie was exhausted and her body sore. It was only eight-thirty in the morning, yet the sun was blazing and the temperature was in the high seventies.

"Do you want to stop and get something to eat?" Chris asked, as they walked through the airport. "I don't even know if my cousin is here yet."

Melanie shook her head, "No, I'm fine," she said, yawning. "I just want to lay down for a bit."

They collected their bags and headed outside, the Californian sun hitting them both. Chris led her to a bench, setting his bag down at her feet.

"Let me see what's going on, "he said, taking his phone out.

Melanie nodded as she sat back against the bench, checking her own messages. She had several from Gaila and Nyota, wishing her a good flight and to see them after the holiday. She then had a missed call and voicemail from her brother, sent sometime during the boarding of their flight.

"_Hey Mel. Jo and I are heading out in a few minutes to drop Callie off at Nyota's and then we'll be off to the airport. You're probably sleeping or already at work. I hope you had a good flight and I'll call you when we land in Atlanta. Jo sends her love. I love you and I'll talk to you later."_

Melanie turned her phone off, dropping in back into her bag. She then covered her eyes, which threatened to fill up with tears, as Chris moved closer to the bench.

"Yeah, we're outside waiting. See you in a little bit."

She looked up at him as he came over to the bench, "She'll be here soon," he sat down. "Had to get gas."

Melanie nodded, "You weren't kidding when you that it's hot here," she pulled at her shirt. "Goddamn Chris, your parents are going to be disgusted when they see me."

He chuckled, "No they wont," he said, kissing her cheek. "All they'll notice is how beautiful you are."

She blushed and looked away, resting her head against his shoulder. They waited for at least ten minutes, before a car pulled up at the curb. The woman in the car waved enthusiastically at them, as she unbuckled herself from the seat.

"That's Mary," Chris said. "My cousin."

The woman climbed out of the car and made her way across the curb, "Christopher!"

Melanie sat up so Chris could move to greet her, accepting the welcoming hug from the shorter woman. "Hey Mary."

"Look at you!" she said, pulling back to get a good look at him. "You're more grey now than the last time I saw you."

Melanie snorted, covering her mouth to smother the impending laughter. Chris and Mary looked back at her, and she quickly sobered up.

"Thanks," Chris said, shaking his head. "Mary, this is Melanie."

Melanie stood up from the bench and smiled, "Hi," she waved, suddenly shy around the stranger.

But Mary smiled and pulled her into a hug, "So you're the mystery guest, everyone's been talking about."

"I-yes," Melanie said, looking at Chris over Mary's shoulder. "That would be me."

Mary pulled back and smiled, "You're very pretty," she stated, making Melanie blush. "And here I was, expecting one of your co-workers. That Jim fellow."

"Mom and Dad would have to get extensive home insurance before Jim ever steps foot into their house," he said. "Come on, it's hot as hell out here and it's been a long night for us."

Mary helped load the trunk with their bags, before they all climbed into the car. "Jeffery and Alex are already at the house driving your mother crazy," Mary said, pulling away from the curb. "Something about putting the turkey in a deep fryer?"

"Isn't that dangerous?" Melanie asked from the backseat. "I think my brother did that one year at college and nearly burned his eyebrows off."

Chris chuckled, "With these two? We'll probably pull up and find the house on fire."

"How crazy is your family?" Melanie asked, slightly uneasy.

Mary laughed, "Oh honey," she shook her head, as the car pulled out of the parking lot. "You have no idea."

…

Jim shuffled around his apartment, bored and restless. Earlier that morning, Leonard and Joanna took a flight out to Georgia for Christmas, filling him with sadness. He wasn't sure why, since he knew for months that they wouldn't spend the holiday in Seattle.

And even if they did, Jim would've been stuck home in his apartment, eating take out and watching re-runs of LOST. Luckily for him, Hikaru couldn't get a flight out to Ohio in time to visit his parents, leaving him stuck at home as well.

"Hey, Ny said that we could come by on Christmas Eve and spend the night there," Hikaru said, as he stepped out of the kitchen. "She said she invited some dude from Canada."

Jim choked on his water, "W-WHAT?!" he shouted, turning around on the couch to look at him. "What did you say?"

HIkaru frowned, "She invited a friend from Canada?" he repeated.

"Shit! That hipster from Canada! Spock!" Jim shrieked, jumping over the sofa. "Oh my god, I'm not going."

"What? Why?" Hikaru asked, as Jim pushed passed him. "Dude, you can't sit in here alone! Pavel's going home to Los Angles tonight and Scotty took that Gaila chick to Scotland. Len and Jo left this morning for Georgia. Chris left and Mel went to Arizona!"

Jim snorted, knowing that Mel was nowhere near Arizona. "Dude, I'll be fine here," he said, searching through the fridge for something to eat.

"Enough!" Hikaru snapped, startling him. "You act like a total baby when something doesn't go your way," he set the phone down on the counter. "Now, I'm going to the store to get some things and we are going to make something to bring to Nyota's. You will go and act like a civilized adult and you will be nice to Nyota and to her friend from Canada."

Too stunned to argue, Jim nodded. "Good," Hikaru smiled. "I'll be back in an hour."

Jim watched as he grabbed his coat from the closet and the keys off the table, "Clean off the counter and take everyone out of the oven," Hikaru said, before closing the door behind him.

…..

Gaila sat in the airport, flipping through a magazine. It would be several hours before she boarded her flight, leaving her stranded inside JFK International. Luckily, she wasn't alone to endure the hours of boredom.

"Here yeh go, lass," Scotty said. "A cuppa coffee and blueberry scone."

Looking up from the latest edition of Vouge, Gaila smiled and took the coffee and scone from him. "Thank you."

Scotty sat down next to her and nodded "Yer welcome," he smiled back, bringing his own cup of coffee to his lips.

What started as flirtation on Thanksgiving, led to a few dates and one of the best sexual experiences of Gaila's life. Normally, Gaila wouldn't go for someone like Scotty, opting for the tall, dark and handsome type. But it was his charm, along with his accent, that captured her attention. When he invited her to spend Christmas with him is Glasgow, just two weeks after "dating", she jumped at the opportunity and said yes.

"I canne wait ta get home," Scotty said, with a sigh. "Yer gonna love it there, Gaila."

She smiled, "I can't wait," she nodded. And she really couldn't. Between the flights from Seattle to New York, Gaila was ready to just get on the damn plane and over the damn ocean already. Why the flight had to be at eleven-thirty at night, didn't make any sense to her. She didn't care about the time difference, especially when the large group of rowdy children ran around the terminal.

All she wanted was get Scotty alone in a room, let him have his way with her and sleep for a few hours. But that would have to wait. Nibbling at the scone, Gaila picked up her magazine and continued reading, hoping that the hours would pass quickly.


	20. Chapter 20

When Chris and Melanie arrived to the house, carrying their bags up the cobblestone path and up the sprawling porch, they were greeted to an empty house. Mary moved about, opening the windows in the living room and in the kitchen.

"They went to the store," she called out. "I guess they didn't get enough shit over the weekend for this dinner your mother wants to make."

Chris snorted, "That sounds about right," he said, heading into the kitchen.

Melanie looked around at the living room, taking in the difference of appearance from her own home. The walls were a light tan, covered with various photo frames and paintings. A tree sat in the corner of the room, covered with old-fashioned ornaments, the red and green lights twinkling. On the coffee table, sat a bowl filled with candy canes, holiday colored kisses and other Christmas oriented candy. Moving towards the fireplace, Melanie looked at the framed photos on the mantle, ranging from very old to recent.

She smiled at the photographs of Chris, ranging from childhood to both his high school and college graduation.

"Mourning over the loss of my good looks?" he asked, wrapping his arms around her waist.

She giggled, "You had a baby face," she stated, looking at his college graduation photo. "I guess you hit puberty very late, huh?"

He tickled her lightly, "Funny," he shook his head.

Melanie turned her head and kissed his cheek, "You haven't lost any of your looks, " she said, turning around fully to face him. "In fact, you've aged exceptionally," she kissed his cheek. "I think you've gotten sexier over the years."

Chris snorted, "is that so?" he asked, as she nodded. "You know, I could've used this ego boost _years _ago."

"Like your ego really needs that extra boost," Mary said, leaning against the doorframe of the living room. "Chris here was quite the cutie back in the day, with his blonde hair and wittle babyface," she cooed.

Melanie snickered as he blushed in embarrassment, "Awww," she cooed, kissing his cheek.

"How about you two head up to your old room?" Mary suggested. "Take showers and change out of those clothes. I'll whip up some breakfast and you two can eat and take a nap."

"Are you sure?" Chris asked. "We can wait until Mom and Dad come home."

Mary shook her head, "They'll understand, Chris. You guys have been up all night and I know sleeping in the airport and on a plane is NOT fun, nor comfortable."

Melanie nodded, "It's not."

"So go on," she nodded towards the stairs. "Jake and Tommy wont be here til after lunch time anyways."

Chris nodded, "Wake us when they come home," he said, moving to grab their bags. "I mean it Mary," he warned. "The last time I was here, you let me sleep til eight and I was up all night."

She snickered, "I will, Chrissy," she grinned. "Now get upstairs, you're startin' to stink up the living room.

…..

Leonard realized now, after a long flight and drive to his childhood home, why Melanie wanted to skip Christmas with her parents. Eleanor McCoy did nothing but complain about her youngest child, during the entire car ride from the airport.

"Why couldn't she just put work on hold?" she asked, as they stepped into the house. "I mean, don't these researchers realize it's Christmas?"

He sighed, "You know why she didn't come, Mama."

Eleanor rolled her eyes, "That girl is too stubborn like your Daddy," she shook her head. "I just don't understand why a woman, at her age, is single and living alone in that big house!"

"She ain't alone," Leonard said. "She's got me and Jo."

"Yes, but eventually you'll be moving out into your own place and you'll find a nice girl and settle down again."

Joanna tugged at her father's hand, "Lemme get Jo settled in. Pop should be home soon right?" he asked.

But Eleanor was too busy to respond, already dialing the number to one of her many friends. With a shig, Leonard grabbed their bags and ushered Joanna up the stairs to the bedroom.

"Daddy," she whined, as the door closed behind them. "Grandma is so mean to Aunt Mellie."

"She just wants the best your Aunt, baby," he sighed, setting the bags down on the foot of the bed.

Joanna shook her head, "No she doesn't! She doesn't like Aunt Mellie's storybooks about the boats!" she pouted. "Jim says she's a wicked witch of the south."

Leonard snorted, unable to control himself. On a normal basis, he would smack the living daylights out of anyone who badmouthed his own Mama. But Jim was right, proving that once again how much Leonard doubted him.

"Oh yeah?" he asked, moving to open the windows. "And what else did Jim say?"

Joanna kicked off her shoes, before lying back against the pillows, "He says that he feels bad for you and Aunt Mellie. That Grandma should be happy that you two are healthy and talk to each other."

Leonard paused at the windows, looking out at the backyard. "Jim says he and his brother haven't talked in forever. And that his Mommy blames him for that, with a bunch of other stuff that I can't remember."

"Is that so?" Leonard asked, turning around to look at her.

Joanna nodded, "He also said that he likes you and Aunt Mellie," she shrugged. "But that he likes you more because you're his best friend, even though sometimes you hurt his feelings."

Hearing his six year old tell him everything about his co-worker, was like a slap to the face. Here was a man, much younger than himself, who wanted to be his friend. Hell, everyone at _Yorktown, _wanted to be his friend. But he was just too damn stubborn to accept and open up to them all. He never talked about his divorce, his childhood, what he liked to do on his free time. He never shared embarrassing stories from his culinary school years, while everyone else shared experiences of drunkenness to nudity in a public place.

"I think we should've stayed home for Christmas," Joanna sighed. "That way we could celebrate with Jim."

Leonard thought about how Christmas would've been back in Seattle. While Melanie would still be in Arizona, and his co-workers scattered about the globe, a few days with Jim outside of work didn't sound so bad. It would've been a hell of a lot better with him, than sitting around a table listening to his mother complain about how he was raising Jo or what Melanie was doing with her life.

"Yeah," he nodded. "Me too, Jo. Me too."

…..

Nyota wrapped her coat around her thin body tightly, as she stepped through the stores entrance.

"Are you cold?"

She turned and looked up at the man next to her, "Just a little," she smiled. "I'll be fine once we get away from the door."

Spock nodded, "I was not aware that Seattle had a market strictly for the vegan dietary needs," he observed.

Nyota nodded, "I think it's new," she said, pulling a wagon away from the others. "The regular markets only have small sections, with a limited variety of brands."

The pastry chef didn't realize how serious Spock's vegan diet was, having only eaten one meal with him in Canada. She had planned to make a lovely meal for both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, consisting of turkey, glazed ham, and other slightly unhealthy side dishes. It was the only time of the year, besides Thanksgiving, where she let her guard down and consumed as much as she could before the New Years resolutions began.

"It seems that my sudden announcement of my dietary needs has troubled you," he said, breaking her attention away from the various forms of rice milk. "I should've told you before hand, that way your meal planning would be easier."

She smiled, "It's fine, Spock," she said. "Besides, I've never cooked a vegan meal before. I would've needed your help, that way the dishes would come out to your liking."

He nodded, "That is true," he said, his lips quirking into a small smile. "Though, I am sure that you would've managed. I hear that you are quite the chef in your own kitchen."

Nyota blushed, "I'm alright," she shrugged. "My co-workers are far more better at preparing food that doesn't involve chocolate, icing and confectionary sugar."

"I believe that you would've done an exceptional job, Nyota," he said, watching as she stared at the display before her.

Spock was too nice, she thought, trying to figure out why anyone would drink rice milk. From the moment she met him, all she wanted to do was sleep with him and move on. But Spock captured her attention, something that many men never did during her business trips. There was something sexy about the way he talked and how he praised her talents, though he had yet to try her cooking. He wasn't like the other men she'd slept with over the years; being tall, thin and paler. His eyes were dark, which left her wanting more of the mystery about him. Nyota had no idea what she was thinking, when she invited him out to Seattle for Christmas. She expected him to politely decline her invitation, when he shocked the shit out of her and accepted. And now, here he was. Standing next to her in a vegan grocery store, staring down at her with those dark, mysterious eyes. Nyota Uhura was fucked.

"Well, I guess you'll have to explain what you normally eat," she smiled. "I want to broaden my culinary skills."

…

Chris shifted under the thin sheet, his foot brushing against Melanie's leg. He heard her moan, stretching said leg out against his, before wrapping it around his.

"Stop moving," she mumbled, her face pressed against the pillow. "Hmmm, tequila."

He cracked open one eye, peeping over the sheet to look at her. He saw the sleepy smile on her face, as her eyes danced rapidly underneath their lids. Whatever she was dreaming about must've been good. The delightful moans and shifting of her hips proved it all. After a few hazy seconds, Chris realized what was going on.

His girlfriend was having a sex dream. In his bed, up in his old room. In his childhood home, as his cousins and parents sat downstairs. And it most likely, he hoped, included him and a bottle of tequila.

Reaching out, under the sheet, Chris placed his hand on the small of her back. "Mel?" he whispered.

She moaned, "Hmm, that sounds nice," she gasped, biting down on her lip.

He chuckled lightly, moving his hand down to her ass. "Wake up," he whispered, tapping her rear end lightly.

The contact against her skin, made Melanie groan a little louder, turning her face into the pillow. Chris moved closer to her, burying his face into the crook of her shoulder.

"Mel, wake up."

She didn't move, meaning either she fell back into a deep sleep or she couldn't hear him. Chris rolled over and knelt over her, rubbing his hands up underneath her shirt. Melanie squirmed underneath his hands, letting out a please squeal. He snickered as she moved about, as his hands roamed over her body. After a few minutes, she slowly rolled onto her back, looking up at him through sleepy eyes.

"What are you doing?' she whispered, as he settled his hands on either side of her head.

"What are _you _doing?" he asked, grinning at her.

She frowned, "Sleeping?"

"Oh really?" he asked. "Sounds like you were doing more than sleeping."

Melanie blushed, "I don't know what you're talking about."

Chris pushed the locks of hair away from her neck, leaning down to nibble at the warm flesh. "I think you do," he said.

She moaned, reaching up to grip his arms. "S-stop," she gasped, as he continued to cover her neck with kisses and bites. "Everyone's downstairs!"

"Tell me what you were dreaming about," he nipped at her throat. "And I'll stop."

He heard her muttering, chuckling at the frustrated "jerk" that escaped her lips. "Something with body shots," she groaned. "You, me, a bottle of tequila. Doing body shots and having ridiculously hot, raunchy sex somewhere.. ohmygod!" she gasped, as his hands moved further down her body. "Chris!" she squealed.

"Shhh, everyone's downstairs," he whispered, mimicking her.

Melanie glared at him, "Then stop doing that!" she hissed.

"What? This?" he asked, pressing his hips against hers.

She jerked up against him, biting down on her lip to block out the moan. "I- I'm going to hurt you if you do that again."

"You'd do bodily harm to me? In my parents house, while they sit downstairs?" he asked.

She groaned, "Either stop teasing me or just do me right now," she begged.

Chris snorted, "Oh dear," he shook his head. "I think I'll leave you hanging," he said, moving to the side. "You're too loud."

Melanie lifted her legs up, wrapping them around his hips. "Don't you dare," she hissed. "We can go into the bathroom and turn the water on."

"You've planned this out, huh?" he asked, watching the blush creep up her neck and to her face. "You sneaky little thing."

She rolled her eyes, "Oh please," she scoffed. "It's probably better than you're idea of doing it outside in the sand."

"Who said I was thinking about doing it in the sand?" he asked. "That doesn't sound like fun."

Melanie moaned, "Chris, seriously. I've been sitting in airports and planes for what? Twelve hours. This will probably be the quickest quickie ever!"

Chris dropped his head down, burying his face in her neck. "You are crazy," he mumbled, as she twisted around underneath him.

"Chrisssssss," she whined, shaking him by the shoulders. "Please? Early Christmas present."

When he lifted his head up, Melanie was pouting and batting her eyes at him. He snorted and sat up, pulling her with him. "Ten minutes," he said, moving to the side of the bed.

"That should be enough time," she smiled, climbing out of bed.

She then moved past him, squealing as he slapped her rear end. "Oh! You're going to pay for that one!" she said, rushing into the bathroom.


	21. Chapter 21

Having only just met, Melanie was in love with Chris' parents. They were the complete opposite of her own, as they welcomed her with open arms. His mother, Anne, was simply adorable. She looked incredible for seventy-nine, in tip-top shape and quick on her feet. Joshua, at first, frightened her, as he observed her closely. He finally broke the tension with a simple, "So, I hear you're a historical researcher. Titanic, huh? Have you read the Wilson book by any chance?"

Chris watched from the counter, as Melanie and Joshua debated on weather or not Bruce Ismay was the evil character that historians painted him as. Anne moved closer to her son, as he chopped a tomato into thin slices.

"She's lovely, Chris," she whispered, as Melanie giggled. "I've never seen your father so interested in having a conversation with one of your girlfriends."

It was true, considering how happy his father was at that moment, debating with Melanie over a topic that was so near and dear to her. Rebecca never got him into a conversation like that, unless it was about how she wasn't being nice to his son.

"Well, I do believe that Ismay should've handled the situation better," Melanie said. "But then again, I wasn't on a sinking ship that was deemed "Unsinkable". I couldn't imagine what it felt like," she said.

"Yes, that's true," Joshua nodded, frowning. "I didn't think of it like that. My mind has gone foggy over the years," he rolled his eyes.

She laughed, "Really? I couldn't tell. It's very rare for me to meet anyone who has this much knowledge about what I study," she sighed. "Everyone assumes that the James Cameron film is the real deal!"

Anne laughed, "I take it you don't like that movie?" she asked.

Melanie shook her head, "Oh no! I love it!" she sat up. "I mean, at the time it was made, it was extraordinary. And they did the best they could with the information they had."

Chris laughed, "Mom here loves that movie," he said, nodding towards Anne. "She forced Dad over here to see it in 3D at least twice."

Joshua sighed, "I couldn't see straight for a week."

Anne rolled her eyes as Melanie giggled, "You're eyesight was just fine, Josh! You were able to watch that Doctor Who marathon the next day!"

"You watch Doctor Who?" Melanie asked, her eyes wide.

Joshua nodded, "I've been watching that show for years!" he said. "Way before they did that re-boot!"

Melanie smiled, "I love that show!" she nodded. "My brother thinks it's silly, but I think it's because he has no sense of imagination."

Chris smiled as they both fell into another debate over who was the best doctor of the entire series, relieved that his parents were welcoming her into the family.

Anne smiled as she set the bowl of lettuce down on the counter, "She's a keeper, Chris," she nodded. "Don't let her get away."

….

After a light lunch, Anne suggested to Chris that he should take Melanie for a walk.

"It's so nice outside!" she said, as she placed the dishes into the washer. "Go on! Shoo!"

Grabbing sunglasses and water bottles, Chris and Melanie made their way outside into the bright sunshine and started down the block.

"You know, "Chris said, wrapping his arm around her waist. "They like you a lot."

She blushed, "Really? After knowing me for two hours?" she asked.

He nodded, "Never has my father taken interest in anyone that I've dated," he said, as they turned at the corner. "He didn't even like my ex-wife."

"What a pity," she sniffed. "Should I send her a fruit basket with a note saying I accomplished what she couldn't do?"

Chris snorted, "I would love to see the look on her face after reading a note like that," he said. "But I don't know where she is or if she ever re-married."

They continued walking until they reached a small park, three blocks away from the house. It was empty, much to their pleasure, as they sat on a bench underneath a tree.

"It's nice here," she said, looking around at the landscape. "I'm just trying to figure out why you would leave California for dreary Seattle."

Wrapping his arm around her shoulders, Melanie slid closer to him, resting her head against his chest.

"Well, I wanted a change of scenery," he started. "And I thought it would be nice to see snow in the winter, instead of surfboards on the tops of cars."

She giggled as he continued, "Besides, had I never moved to Seattle, I wouldn't have met you."

Melanie looked up at him, as he reached down and pushed the loose curls away from her face. "No," she shook her head. "You probably wouldn't."

Chris leaned forward and kissed her, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her close. When they pulled apart, slightly breathless, Melanie rested her again against his chest again.

After a few minutes of silence, Melanie finally spoke. "Do you think they know that we had sex on the bathroom counter?"

…

When Christmas Eve rolled around, Leonard was ready to pack his bags and fly back to Seattle. Eleanor continued her onslaught of bitterness towards Melanie, badmouthing her to Leonard's cousins and other relatives. Joanna was so upset and bored with the entire dinner, that she begged him to let her go upstairs. Not wanting his little girl to hear such nonsense from her relatives, Leonard brought Jo back up to their room and put the Disney channel on for her.

When the relatives left, later than he hoped for, Leonard stood in the kitchen loading the dishwasher.

"Well, that was a lovely evening," Eleanor said, as she set a stack of dirty dishes on the counter.

Leonard rolled his eyes, "Yeah Ma," he shook his head. "Real nice."

"Oh Leonard," she started, as he chucked the dishtowel onto the counter. "You were always so sensitive."

"You know what, Mama?" he asked, turning around to face her. "Somebody in this goddamn family had to be!"

Eleanor shook her head, "You always defend her, Leonard."

He shook his head, "She never did anything wrong to begin with!" he snapped. "You're pissed that she didn't do what _you _wanted! Mellie never wanted to be a goddamn doctor or trophy wife! She wanted to go out there and explore the fucking world!"

Eleanor glared, "You watch your mouth, young man!" she snapped.

Leonard rolled his eyes, "Jo and I will stay for breakfast tomorrow," he said, moving towards the doorway of the kitchen. "Then we are boarding the first shuttle out of this goddamn town."

"Leonard?" she gasped.

He stopped and turned around to look at her, "Coming here was a goddamn mistake," he shook his head. "Now I see why Mel never wants to come home."

Leonard then turned on his heel and walked out of the kitchen, his feet pounding on the stairs as he went up to his room.

…

Gaila sighed as she rolled over in bed, the sun ripping through the blinds on the widow.

"Lass," Scotty whispered. "Are yeh awake?"

A green eye popped open, peeking through the mass of tangled red curls. "Scotty?" she mumbled, as he leaned down to kiss her.

"Happy Christmas," he smiled, as she turned her head to block out the sun. "Come on, up and at 'em. I'll make yeh some breakfast."

Gaila groaned, reaching up to wrap her arms around him. "Five minutes, "she whined, pulling him down next to her. "Please?"

Scotty chuckled, "Aye," he nodded. "Ah guess yeh didn't get enough sleep last night."

She giggled as she pressed her face against his arm, "I believe a very sexy Scotsman is to blame for that."

After arriving at Glasgow, Scotty and Gaila took a rental car to his sisters' house in Aberdeen. Luckily they had the entire house to themselves, as his sister was away on vacation in South Africa.

"If ah remember correctly," Scotty kissed the spot behind her ear. "Yeh wanted me just as much as ah wanted yeh."

Gaila sighed, "Hmmm, maybe."

Scotty tickled her lightly, making her squirm and giggled. "Okay! I do!" she exclaimed, as he sealed her lips with a kiss.

When he pulled away, Gaila smiled up at him.

"Happy Christmas, Scotty."

….

Leonard sat up in bed, watching as Joanna slept silently next to him. It was a little after three in the morning, and he was still fuming over what his mother had said and done earlier that night. After making his way upstairs, Leonard quickly changed the details of their flight, managing to get two tickets for a four-thirty flight back to Seattle. He needed to take Jo out of this place, before Eleanor brainwashed her with lies.

Grabbing his phone off the nightstand, he sent a quick text out, hoping to get a response. Within seconds, his phone buzzed in his hands.

_What are you still doing up? Doesn't Joanna realize that the sun doesn't come up for another four hours?_

Leonard chuckled as he tapped away at the screen:

_Jo's asleep. 'M bored and I can't sleep._

As soon as the message went out, another came in.

_Awww, so you're sitting up in bed, thinking about lil ol' me? I am so honored Mister McCoy.~ __**kissess~**_

Leonard rolled his eyes as he typed the next message out, sending it after a few minutes.

_Dammit, Jim! Here I am trying to have a conversation with you, through a huge time difference. Anyways, I'm coming home tomorrow with Jo; Coming here was a bad idea and I wish I'd stayed in Seattle. Could've been a lot less stressful and Jo would've been a lot more happier. _

Joanna shifted against him, rolling onto her side. Leonard waited, watching her closely as she continued moving around, before she fell into a comfortable position on the mattress. He then turned his attention back to the phone, reading the new message Jim had sent.

_): I'm sorry your trip turned into a disaster. But I'm glad that you and Jo are coming home. :D Nyota invited this hipster vegan from Canada and Hikaru MADE me come over for her Christmas Eve dinner. Now we're crashing here to spend Christmas with them. Bones, he's sooooo weird. _

Leonard chuckled, shaking his head as he typed back. Jim could be so overdramatic sometimes, yet his immaturity levels never failed to make Joanna or the others smile.

_Well, I probably wont be home in time to save you; but you're more than welcome to come by the house afterwards. I'm sure Mel has some cookies and leftover beer stashed in the kitchen. And Jo will be happy to see you._

He shifted further down on the bed, wincing as he knees cracked. Setting the phone down, Leonard shook out his portion of the blankets, before draping them over his body. Picking up the phone, he saw that Jim had texted back quickly.

_I can't wait to see both of you. Well, I'm heading to bed now, since Nyota is too busy sucking face with the hipster and Hikaru is talking reading some shitty romance novel (I think it's Twilight). Call me when you land and I'll see you soon. Night Bones. Merry Christmas. _

_Will do. Be nice to Nyota and her… hipster friend. I'll call you when we land. Merry Christmas, Jim. _

Setting the phone down on the nightstand, Leonard pushed the pillows up and set his head down on them. After a few restless minutes, Leonard managed to pass out.

…

"We need to go to sleep," Melanie whispered, as Chris pulled her out the backdoor. "It's getting late."

"It's midnight," he whispered back, pulling her over to the lounge chairs that surrounded the pool. "Besides, it's a nice night and I want to sit out here with you."

She smiled, as he pulled her down onto the chair, wrapping his arms around her. After a wonderful dinner with Chirs' parents, Mary and her husband and son- Jake and Tommy- Melanie was excited for Christmas. Now, as everyone went off to bed, Melanie and Chris were the only two up.

"We are going to be the two crabbiest people tomorrow morning," she mumbled, snuggling up against him. "You weren't kidding when you said it get's chilly here at night."

He rubbed her arm, pulling her tightly against him. "We'll go inside in a few minutes," he promised. "But look at the stars."

Looking up, Melanie gasped. The skies were clear; a vast and endless black blanket, covered with millions of twinkling lights. Skies like this had been hard to come by up in Seattle, and the last time she saw a night sky like this, was back in Georgia many years ago.

"It's so beautiful," she murmured, as a cool breeze came through. "I haven't seen a sky like this in years."

They sat there quietly, watching the stars above them as the minutes ticked by. Melanie shivered as the breeze picked up, pulling the sleeves of her sweater down over her hands.

"Cold?" Chris asked, looking down at her.

She nodded, "A little."

"Lets go inside then," he said. "I can't bring you back to Seattle with a cold."

They slowly sat up on the lounge chair, getting up slowly and quietly. Melanie started towards the house, when Chris lightly grabbed her hand.

"Wait, I have to tell you something," he whispered, as she turned around to look at him.

She nodded, "Okay."

Chris reached up and brushed a loose strand away from her face, "Mel," he said softly, cupping her cheek with his hand. "I love you."


	22. Chapter 22

Melanie rolled over, pulling the heavy quilt up over her bare shoulders. The room slowly began to light up, as the early morning hours rolled on. The sun would be up soon, which meant that she and Chris would have to get up for breakfast with his family. She sighed and shifted on the bed, pulling the blanket around her tightly.

The bathroom door swung open and Chris stepped out, turning the light off behind him. He saw that she was awake and gave her a sleepy smile, as he shuffled back towards the bed.

"What are you doing up?" he asked, climbing back into bed. "It's early."

Melanie smiled," "M cold," she whispered, as he wrapped his arms around her. "Hmmm," she sighed, snuggling against him.

It had been only a few hours since Chris say those three little words. _I love you. _Replaying the scene in her head, made her smile and blush like a schoolgirl. She responded with a very enthusiastic _I love you, too, _before kissing him like their lives depended on it. They quietly crept back upstairs and into bed, making love tenderly as they whispered those words to one another.

"You're feet are ice cold," he yelped, as she moved them against his legs. "Mel!"

She giggled, "I'm sorry," she whispered. "They'll warm up in a minute!"

They could hear the light muffle of the television down the hall, indicating that Tommy was playing one of his video games. Melanie sighed, pushing her body closer to Chris's.

"Still cold?" he asked, hugging her tightly.

She nodded, "Maybe we should've gotten dressed," she yawned. "It's really cold."

Chris nodded, "I can warm you up," he offered, grinning at her. "_Really _warm you up."

Melanie giggled, "Please?" she asked, pouting. "I've been a very good girl this year."

He kissed her, "Hmm, I'll be the judge of that," he whispered, before pushing her back down on the mattress.

…..

Jim shifted on the sofa, pulling the blanket up higher around him. Nyota had the worst sofa of all sofas in history, and he was the poor innocent victim, forced to sleep on it. Hikaru snatched one of the two guest rooms, locking the door behind him. He laughed as Jim pounded on the door, begging to be let in. When Jim realized that HIkaru wouldn't unlock the door, he dragged himself back downstairs and parked his ass on the sofa.

He had been surprised earlier, as Leonard texted him all the way from Georgia. When he told him that he was in bed, wide-awake and bored, Jim couldn't stop the naughty images that danced in his head. Bones. In bed and texting him. The thought itself made Jim blush and shiver all at once.

And now, he was coming home early. The news made Jim smile and slightly squeal like a teenaged girl. He couldn't wait for the day to fly by, just so he could leave Nyota and her hipster boyfriend to suck face and sit in the same room with Bones.

With a sigh, Jim shifted on the sofa and stretched out his aching joints. He needed to get as much sleep as possible, especially if he wanted to be awake to see Bones.

….

Pavel sighed, as he cracked his knuckles. It was Christmas and he was in the middle of doing homework, getting a head start on the spring semester. It was only ten-thirty in the morning, yet Pavel was completely exhausted having pulled an all-nighter. Being a double major in both math and physics wasn't easy, just like keeping a GPA over 3.0. And he didn't even want to double major in those subjects, despite his parents wanting him to do so.

"Fuck youuuuu," he muttered, skimming through the uploaded PDF files that were posted for one of his physics classes. "I don't care!"

He knew that enrolling at Washington University was the best thing he'd ever done, escaping his strict parents. When he wasn't locked up in his dorm or sitting through a three-hour lecture, Pavel found his escape at work, washing dishes and wiping down tables at the _Yorktown Tavern. _He had created great friendships with Hikaru, Scotty, Nyota and Jim, even though they teased him for being the youngest out of the group. The baby. He would be forever grateful to Jim, who got him the job after meeting him at the coffee shop, and worked his ass off to prove it. Phil was an asshole though, giving Pavel shit when he needed time off for finals and paper deadlines.

But he could always count on his friends, even Chris and Leonard, for sticking up for him. He wouldn't be a bus boy forever, even thought he would be sad when the time came to move on.

Opening a new webpage, Pavel went to the schools website and click on the list of majors and minors. He had been thinking about changing his degree program for a year now, having saved up enough money for the last two years to move to Seattle permanently. When his parents went out to the store the other day, Pavel managed to ship out six boxes of personal items to Jim and Hikaru's apartment. He would move into Scotty's spare bedroom after New Years, which meant no more dorm rooms and nosey roommates.

Eyeing the areas of study, Pavel clicked on the links that lead to the Anthropology's department page. He had already taken the necessary introduction courses to cover elective credits, as well as upper division credits. Doing the quick math in his head, Pavel would be able to complete the programs requirement within another two years if he changed his major before the semester started. Of course that meant he would have to change his schedule now, in order to pick up the classes that hadn't been filled yet.

Looking at the photo on the desk from his high school graduation, Pavel sighed. His parents would be pissed at him, once they realized that he wouldn't be following _their _dreams. Or that he was living with his older co-worker, who liked to drink scotch excessively and had an impressive liquor collection in his apartment. Pavel shook his head, and clicked on email link to the head of the department.

They would get over it in due time.

…..

"Make sure she doesn't over eat, Ny!" Melanie said, pacing the kitchen. "And no treats before bed."

Chris stood in the doorway of the kitchen, watching as she moved back and forth. "Okay, I'll call you back later," she laughed. "Merry Christmas! Give the boys my love."

She then hung up the phone and turned around, smiling at him. "Hi there."

Pushing away from the wall, Chris made his way over to her. "How are they?" he asked, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Well," she sighed. "Callie managed to knock her water dish over and Claude scratched Jim twice," she laughed. "Jim said that he doesn't want to be in the same house with him ever again."

Chris snorted, "That's a shame," he shook his head. "Are they getting along? Callie and Claude?"

Melanie nodded, "Ny said she found them curled up on the makeshift bed she put together for them. She's going to send me pictures in a little while. Said it was really cute."

"As long as they're getting along, I'm happy," he said, kissing her. "Tommy's ready to start up the game if you're ready."

Melanie grinned, "Oh I am so ready to beat him."

After opening gifts, Tommy offered to show Melanie how to play a round of _Assassins Creed III, _claiming he could be anyone. Jake and Chris confirmed that it was indeed true, that Tommy could wipe the floor with them at combat games.

"MEL! ARE YOU READY TO LOSE?" Tommy shouted from the den. "MOM SAYS WE HAVE AN HOUR!"

Melanie snorted at Mary yelled at him for yelling in the house, which then resulted in Anne yelling at them both for yelling. Joshua, who sat in the living room, muttered and groaned as everyone shouted.

"I better get in there, "Melanie laughed. "Before everyone starts yelling."

"Try to hit his character when his back is facing you," he said. "It stuns him for a few minutes, giving you enough time to run."

She smiled, "Thank you," she said, kissing him quickly, before pulling away. "PREPARE TO LOSE!" she shouted, running out of the kitchen.

…..

"H-How the hell did you beat me?"

Tommy stared at the screen, the controller held loosely in his hands. Melanie smiled innocently at him shrugging.

"I have no idea," she tried to keep her smile under control. "Beginners luck?"

Chris and Jake snorted from the other couch, as Tommy sputtered. After an hour of getting through the first few sections of the game, Melanie managed to beat Tommy several times, ambushing him during scrimmages and major battles. Tommy tried his best to keep himself under control, as her character jumped out and shot him several times or stabbed him into mortal danger.

"I can't," Tommy shook his head. "You said you never played video games before!"

Melanie put her controller down, "I've never played _these _kind of video games before," she corrected him. "My video game experience doesn't go past _Mario Cart _and _Spyro the Dragon." _

"Well Tom," Jake shook his head, "I guess there's a first for everything."

Tommy scowled at his father, as he stood up. "I'm going to see if Mom needs help."

They watched as he stormed out of the den, snickering as he left. Jake went to turn the game off, while Chris moved over to her.

"Now I feel bad," she said, as he sat down next to her. "I hope he's not too mad!"

Jake shook his head, "He'll get over it," he said, turning the PS3 off. "We all knew Tommy's reign as the video game king would end soon."

"I just can't believe it was you that beat him," Chris shook his head. "I've tried for years!"

Melanie shrugged, "That's because I'm calm and collected while playing," she shrugged. "You boys get all crazy and shout."

Chris chuckled, "That's how we vent," he shrugged. "You should hear Tommy when he's playing _Call of Duty. _The shit that comes out of his mouth when someone fucks up on his team."

Jake laughed, "Mary is ready to pull all the game systems out of the wall," he said, sitting back down on the other sofa. " He stays up all damn night when there's no school and plays with is buddies."

"Are you guys just gonna sit around in your pajamas all day?" Mary asked, stepping into the den. "It would be nice if you boys got off your asses and bring the extra chairs up from the basement!"

Jake and Chris sighed, "Marrrryyyyyy," Chris whined, as Melanie elbowed him.

"Get off your asses and go get those chairs," she demanded. "Now!"

Scrambling off the couch, Chris and Jake quickly moved past her before disappearing down the hall.

"What can I do?" Melanie asked, standing up now.

Mary laughed, "You go on up and take a shower," she said. "I just love watching those two running around at my beck and call."

….

Leonard and Joanna checked in at the airport shortly after noon, dropping their luggage off at the counter. He was relieved to be heading home after a disastrous Christmas at his parents house, explaining to Joanna why their bags were packed.

"I'm happy we're going home, "she said, as they sat by the gate. "Can we invite everyone over?"

Leonard smiled, "Jim might be coming by later," he said, ruffling her hair. "Said he was bored at Nyota's and missed you very much."

She beamed, "I missed him too," she said. "I miss them all, Daddy."

He nodded, "Me too," he admitted. "When we get home we'll call Aunt Mel and see how her day is going."

They spent the next two hours relaxing, getting up to use the bathroom and to get a few snacks for the flight. When it was time to board, Leonard and Joanna made their way onto the growing line, waiting as the woman at the door took the tickets. Once they made their way onto the plane and to their seats, they followed the proper protocol.

"Don't make it too tight!" Joanna said as he buckled her into the seat. "I wont be able to look out the window!"

Leonard sighed, "Sorry," he loosened the belt. "Better?" he asked.

Joanna nodded and opened her book, picking up where she left off earlier. Once all the passengers boarded and took their seats, the flight attendants started their demonstrations on how to prepare for an emergency. Leonard hated this part, looking away as they held up a model of the facemasks that would drop if the cabin pressure dropped.

"Do you think it snowed again?" Joanna asked, as the plane started the trek down the runway, waiting as the plane before it took off.

"Maybe," Leonard sighed, peering down at the book on her lap. "How about you tell me what this Percy Jackson kid is up to?" he asked.

Joanna smiled, "Are you scared, Daddy?" she asked, as he blushed. "I can hold your hand if you want me to."

"I'm not scared, " he said tightly. "Now, how many people did this kid upset this time?"

….


	23. Chapter 23

Leonard unlocked the front door to the house, carrying Joanna in one arm, while holding their bags in the other. Stepping into the house, Leonard set the bags down near the table and closed the door. He could hear the television playing in the den, and wondered in Melanie came home early from Arizona.

"Hello?" he called out. "Mel?"

A few seconds later, Jim came out into the hallway. "Hey, you're home!"

"How'd you get in here?" he asked, setting Jo down.

Joanna ran towards Jim, who squatted down to pick her up. "Hey munchkin!" he said, kissing her cheek. "Mel told me about the spare key she hid in the turtle thing out in the flowerbed. Said I could use it if you were in danger and didn't show up for work or answer anyone's calls."

"But I'm not in danger," Leonard said, frowning.

Jim gave him a pointed look, "You left Georgia early after a disastrous visit," he shook his head. "That calls for a life threatening disaster."

Leonard chuckled, "How long have you been here?" he asked, as Jim carried Joanna into the kitchen.

"Oh, an hour," he said. "I ordered pizza, which arrived five minutes ago."

Seeing the pizza boxes on the table, Leonard's stomach began to grumble. "I see someone's hungry," Jim quipped, glancing at Joanna. "You too, huh?"

Joanna nodded, "Daddy never orders pizza," she said, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Says it's not good for a growing girls diet."

Jim scowled, "Pizza is just as nutritional as anything else," he said, earning an eye roll from Leonard. "It has tomatoes and cheese! Dairy and vegetables!"

"Daddy, can I have a piece?" Joanna asked, pouting at Leonard.

"Yeah daddy, can we have a piece?" Jim mimicked, pouting and batting his eyelashes at him.

"Oh hell," Leonard sighed. "Go on! But don't over do it, Jo. If you get a bellyache, don't come crying to me!"

Joanna squealed and Jim placed her down on her feet, "How about you two go and change and I'll set up a plate for you both?" he suggested. "Juice for Jo and a beer for you?" he asked.

Leonard nodded, "Sounds good," he said, taking Joanna by the hand. "We'll be down in a minute."

Jim nodded, "Take your time," he said, moving to the cabinet with the dishes. "Pizza will still be here when you get back."

…..

"Do you ever get that sad feeling, once Christmas is over?" Melanie asked, twirling a skewer over the bonfire. "All that hard work just for one day, and then it's over?"

Mary shrugged, "When I was a little girl I would cry for days," she laughed. "And when Tommy was younger, I 'd work so hard to put the house together and make all these decorations and wrap the gifts up nicely."

Melanie laughed, "My grandma used to be like that. She'd bake for my brother and I and we'd go to her house on Christmas Eve and she would tell us stories. My grandfather would dress up as Santa and we'd get a gift early."

"What about now?" Mary asked. "What do you do when you're not flying out to see your boyfriend's family?"

"Well, the last five years I've been by myself for the holidays," she shrugged. "Sometimes my friend, Gaila, will come over and we'll eat and drink and marathon some horrible television series until our eyes burn."

Mary snorted, "Sounds fun," she shook her head. "What about spending it with your brother and his daughter?"

Melanie wilted a bit at the thought, "The last time I spent Christmas with my brother, was six years ago. Joanna was born in at the end of September, so it was her first Christmas. He was still with his ex-wife and it was just awkward. My mama was so nasty to me and to my brother, just like she'd always been. My pop tried to make it a happy Christmas for us, but it ended in disaster."

"I'm sorry," Mary said, patting her arm. "Oh god, and here we are, rubbing in our family cheer in your face."

Mary shook her head, "No, it's fine!" she said. "Honestly, it's comforting to be around it."

The older woman smiled, "You know, this is the first time Chris has brought anyone with him for any holiday," she shook her head. "The last time he had anyone with him, was the year before Rebecca left him."

Melanie nodded as Mary continued, "You make him happy, which is something we haven't seen in ten years."

"He makes me happy, too," she smiled. "I've had my fair share of disastrous relationships during high school and college, but with Chris.." she trailed off, shaking her head. "It's different. I feel like I'm a teenager half the time, getting that giddy feeling whenever he calls or when I see him,"

Mary laughed, "I'm sure he does the same thing too," she nodded. "When he called to tell us he was coming and that he was bringing a girl with him, I knew."

"You did?" Melanie asked, surprised.

"Oh yes!" Mary nodded. "Chris doesn't bring just anyone with him to meet his parents if he's not serious about the relationship. He still likes having his parent's approval, even if he's forty-seven," she giggled.

Melanie laughed, "That's sounds about right, " she nodded. "He's pretty old fashioned in some sense."

"Who's old fashioned?"

Mary and Melanie turned around, as Chris and Jake came out from the back door.

"Oh, no one," Mary said winking at Melanie.

Jake handed her a cup of coffee, while Chris did the same for Melanie. "Thank you," Melanie said, taking the cup from him. "Did you get the chocolate?"

Chris held up the package of chocolate bars, "Had to fight off dad," he said, shaking his head. "Ended up giving him one just so I could take the rest."

She giggled, "Hmm, I hope he didn't ground you for that," she whispered.

Chris glanced over at Mary and Jake, who were too wrapped up in each other to pay any attention to them, and leaned in closer to Melanie. "He did give me a lecture about what he heard early this morning."

Melanie gasped, blushing immediately. "You mean?" she asked, as he nodded. "Oh my _god! _Chris! Your father heard us having _sex!" _she hissed.

He chuckled, "Don't worry, " he said, as she covered her face with a free hand. "He still likes you."

"Oh god, of course he does," she shook her head. "I'm keeping his son happy with my freakin' vagina!"

Chris snorted, "I'm embarrassed now," Melanie said, taking a sip of her coffee. "I don't think I've ever had any of my boyfriends parents acknowledge our sex lives."

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, "Well, there's a first for everything."

Melanie scowled, snatching a candy bar out of the package, ripping it open. "Well, still," she huffed, prepping up for a s'more. "If he heard it, then your mother heard it which means that Mary, Jake and Tommy heard it."

"You're so cute when you get embarrassed," he grinned.

She shook her head, breaking out into a smile. "You're incorrigible," she huffed, setting the marshmallow onto the graham cracker.

He kissed her cheek, "But you tolerate and love me anyway, right?" he asked, watching as she snapped a piece of the chocolate bar off, placing it on top of the oozing marshmallow.

Melanie then put another graham cracker on top, before taking a bite. "Hm!" she squealed, as the marshmallow slipped between the crackers. "Hot," she mumbled, with a mouthful of chocolate, marshmallow and cracker.

Chris snickered, reaching up the wipe her mouth with his thumb, "Look at you," he shook his head. "Such a messy eater."

She scowled at him and held the disaster of a s'more up to him, "Hm?" she asked, looking at the treat.

Chris leaned forward and took a bite, holding her wrist so it wouldn't fall from her hand. "You kept the marshmallow over the fire too long," he said, chewing.

Melanie shrugged, "Still good though," she said, capturing his lips with hers. "Right?" she asked.

He kissed her again, "Delicious."

…..

Later, after the couples cleared out the mess on the patio, Chris and Melanie retired up to their bedroom. They showered and dressed in pajamas, before putting a move in to watch.

"Got the popcorn," Chris said, returning with a bowl in his hands. "Almost done?" he asked.

Melanie nodded and pulled the hairdryer away from her head, "I'll be there in a sec," she said, before turning her attention back to the mirror.

Once she dried most of her hair, Melanie unplugged the hair dryer and set it on the counter. Turning the light off, she then made her way out of the bathroom and over to the bed.

"I've eaten so much today," she huffed, popping a piece of popcorn into her mouth. "Tomorrow is a light day."

Chris chuckled, "You think my mom makes all that food for breakfast on Christmas only?" he asked, setting the movie up. "She cooks like that everyday."

Melanie groaned, "Nooooo!" she pushed her face into the pillow. "Everyone back home will talk if I come back all fat and floppy."

"You won't be fat and floppy," he said, kissing her neck, as he straddled her hips.

Melanie turned her head against the pillow, looking at the television. "All the food I've eaten since we started dating," she sighed. "Whatever, I like food and I wont turn a plate down when it's offered."

Chris snickered as he moved her hair over one shoulder, "I know," he nipped at shoulder.

"Mmm, I wanna watch the movie," she mumbled, shuddering underneath him. "We can do that later."

"You sure?" he asked, fingers trailing along the side of her body.

Melanie shivered, "Yes," she gasped. "Movie, now. I mean it."

With one last kissed pressed to her shoulder, Chris moved off her and settled on the mattress. Melanie rolled over and climbed towards the pillows, resting back against them. Shoving her feet under the blanket, Melanie grabbed the bowl of popcorn and slid up next to Chris's side.

"Start the movie, please," she said, settling the bowl between them.

Chris picked the remote up, glancing over at her as he started the movie. "You're very bossy," he observed.

She grinned as the opening credits began to roll, "I know."


	24. Chapter 24

"I can't believe we're home," Melanie sighed, as she and Chris walked through the airport in Seattle. "I wish we could've stayed longer."

Chris wrapped his arm around her, "I know," he sighed. "Next time we can stay longer."

She smiled at him as they continued their walk to baggage, the thunder rolling outside. It was a little after six in the evening, the skies dark and dreary, as a thunderstorm rolled through. The landing had been very bumpy, much to Melanie's displeasure. Once they were on solid ground and off the plane, she finally relaxed.

Once they grabbed their bags, the couple made their way out into the rain. Luckily, Chris parked close by the building, which left them partially drenched. Their bags were tossed in the backseat, and the heat was cranked up to the max.

"I so did NOT miss this," Melanie said, holding her hands up against the vent. "Shit!"

They sat in the car warming up, as the rain continued to pour outside around them. Chris then put the car in drive, slowly pulling out of the parking space as the windshield wipers moved in a rapid pace.

"Am I taking you home or do you want to stay with me tonight?" he asked, pulling up to the tollbooth.

Melanie grabbed her purse and pulled out a some money to pay for their parking, "Yours," she said, as the guard bar went up. "If that's okay."

Chris nodded, "Of course it's okay," he said, driving down towards the exit. "You can stay at my place whenever you want."

She smiled to herself, glancing out the window as they drove. "Well, I guess I'll spend more time at your place then," she looked back him.

….

Twenty minutes after Melanie's flight was due to arrive, Leonard paced around the house.

"Would you stop doing that?" Jim asked, as he sat on the staircase. "You're making me dizzy."

"She hasn't called to say that he plane landed! I had to look it up online, and it landed twenty damn minutes ago!" he exclaimed. "It doesn't take that long to get from the airport to here!"

Jim sighed, "Bones, she left her car at Gaila's house," he watched as Leonard paced. "Since Gaila went to Scotland with good ol' Scotty, she left the car there to make it seem like someone was home."

Leonard looked at him, "So then she probably got a cab!" he nodded. "Still, she should be home by now."

"Bonessss!" Jim groaned. "Maybe Mel decided to go back to Gaila's house," he shrugged. "I mean, she and Scotty are coming home tomorrow and as a good friend, your sister is probably staying there to air out the house and clear out the fridge."

Joanna came running into the front hall a few seconds later, "Daddy can we have dinner now?" she asked, as JIm pulled her into his lap.

"Yeah! Can we?" Jim grinned. "Seriously, stop pacing around and relax. I'm sure Melanie is fine and taking full advantage of Gaila's fleece blankets that she keeps bragging about."

Leonard looked at them both, two faces smiling up at him from the stairs. He sighed, "Fine," he nodded. "Let's go make some dinner."

"YAYYY!" Jim and Joanna squealed, getting up to their feet, and running into the kitchen.

…..

After an easy dinner, which consisted of canned soup, to which Chris tried to protest to. It was only after Melanie pointed out that he cooked the entire time they were at his parent's house and that he didn't have much in the fridge to make a enough food for two.

"I should listen to you more often," he said, as they sat on the sofa, watching the news. "Clearly you're a lot smarter than me."

Melanie snorted, "I think that lack of sleep is finally catching up to you."

Chris chuckled as he wrapped his arm around her, "Funny."

Turning around on the sofa, Melanie laid back so that he was cradling her upper body against his. Tucking her face into the crook of his neck, Melanie sighed. "I don't want to leave tomorrow."

"I don't want you to leave either," he kissed her forehead. "One day, if it's meant to be that is, maybe you wont have to leave at all."

Melanie looked up at him, surprised at his statement. They'd only been dating for two months, soon to be three in a week, yet things had turned very serious. Very serious and very fast, that is. Usually, comments like that resulted in relationships ending badly. It usually meant that one was more serious about the relationship than the other. Yet, Melanie was the one who feared that Chris wasn't as serious as she felt about the relationship. Yes, he loved her and he said it many times while they were in California. And she was crazy about him, her every thought solely based on him, together or not.

"Mel?"

She blinked, slowly pulling out of her daze. "Hm?"

Chris was frowning at her, "Are you okay?" he asked.

Melanie nodded, "Yeah," she sat up, shifting in his lap. "Fine."

"Did I say something wrong?" he asked, worried now at her sudden change in behavior.

She laughed, "No," she shook her head. "You've said all the right things."

"Do you want that though?" he asked. "The possibility of a having a home together? A future together?"

Melanie didn't hesitate this time, like she had so many times before with her past relationships. "One day," she started, wrapping her arms around his neck. "We'll have a big old house in the country, with a big porch and cherry trees all over the place."

"Oh really?" he asked, as she giggled.

Melanie nodded, "We'll have a big kitchen and all of our friends and family will come over to eat in it. Our cats will roam all over the place and live like royals," she smiled. "A room for all my books, because you'll have an entire kitchen to create your masterpieces," she said, leaning back.

Chris tickled her exposed stomach lightly, "Sounds like you've mapped out half of our house," he said, as she squirmed. "If we live in the country, shouldn't we raise horses or something?"

She snickered, "Too much work," she shook her head. "Len and I had horses when we were kids. They smelled so bad and the upkeep was expensive."

"How about chickens? Or goats?" he asked, as she laid across his lap now. "They can't be that hard to raise."

Melanie bit her lip, "How about….rabbits?" her lips twitched. "Nyota said rabbits are our spirit animals."

"Did she now?" he asked, his hands slipping up under the hem of her shirt. "Is that because we fuck like rabbits?"

She snorted, "So blunt with your choice of words, Christopher."

"I try my best," he grinned. "Rabbits don't do anything spectacular though."

"Hmmm, we could put our potential farm on a waiting list," Melanie shrugged. "We haven't even decided on what colors to paint the walls."

Chris looked at her, "You'd really want to live with me?" he asked, serious now. "Sometime in the future?"

She nodded, "I know we haven't been together that long," she shrugged. "But I think you're it for me. I don't want anyone else, I can't even picture myself with anyone else."

"I can't picture being with anyone else either," he admitted. "Kinda grown to the idea of being with you for a long time."

Melanie blushed, "I hope so," she sighed. "I've kinda gotten used to the idea of being with you for a long time, too."

…

"Ny, he wants to basically marry me!" Melanie exclaimed. "I mean, we talked about our dream home and basically planned out the next five years."

Later the next day, after Melanie was surprised the by the early return of her brother, Nyota came by to save her with a trip to the mall. Before leaving Gaila's house with her car, Chris informed her about the New Years Eve party at the _Yorktown. _They would close the restaurant down at nine from regular customers, and turn the dining room into a small party hall. Of course, Chris invited her as his date, even though they would have to be discrete about it since Leonard would be around.

And of course a party meant shopping for a dress, which Nyota was good at. Especially since she wanted to impress Spock, in something tight and sparkly.

"How can you two plan out the next five years of your lives together, when Leonard doesn't even know about you two?" Nyota asked, as they dodged post-Christmas sales shoppers. "Are you planning on sending your wedding invitation via-facebook?"

Melanie groaned, "I know! I have to tell him," she said, as Nyota gave her a pointed look. "And I will tell him. Soon, before he catches us making out in a closet or something worse."

Nyota sighed, "What did he do that made you hide this from him?" she asked. "Did he beat up your last boyfriend or something?"

She shook her head, "Len's been too overprotective of me since I went from flat chested to a C-cup at the fourteen," she sighed. "Every boyfriend I've had just isn't good enough for me."

"What do you mean?" Nyota asked, as they stepped into a dress boutique.

Melanie ran her fingers through the frocks on the rack, "The last boyfriend I had, back when I was doing my grad-work in Chicago, was the one serious relationship I'd ever had before Chris."

Nyota nodded, "Anyways… I met him during my first year and he was a little older than me," she sighed. "We'd dated three years before I finally brought him home to meet my family in Georgia. Here I was, twenty-four and head over heels in love with a man who loved everything about me."

By now, Nyota was watching her intently, as she retold the story that haunted her in the following months and years afterwards.

"Len hated him the moment we stepped through the door," Melanie shrugged. "I don't know why, but he was rude and nasty to him. My mother didn't think he was good enough, because he wasn't rich enough. My father didn't care, he just wanted me to escape this life that my mother tried to push me into. The entire trip was a disaster, everyone arguing with one another," she shook her head.

"Oh Mel," Nyota shook her head.

"By the time we got back to Chicago," Melanie trailed off, before shrugging. "We stayed together for another week before he ended it."

Nyota gave her a sympathetic look, "I'm sorry."

"We were talking about getting married after my graduation," she toyed with a sparkly neckline of a tea gown. "He got a job as a professor at DePaul, and I was going to do research. We had plans for babies and a house in the suburbs, a happy ending for us both."

Moving around the rack, Nyota pulled Melanie into her arms. "I'm sorry you had to go through that," she said, squeezing her tightly. "You don't deserve to be treated like that at all."

Melanie nodded, "I know," she whispered, as Nyota pulled back. "But can you blame me for being scared to tell Len?" she asked.

Nyota shook her head, "No, I don't. But eventually he's going to find out and who knows what'll happen," she said.

"I really love him, Ny," she said quietly. "God, when we were talking about living together and putting down a foundation for a home that could be ours," she shook her head. "Do you know how long I've waited for someone like Chris? Here he is, right in front of me and I'm being a fucking idiot because I'm afraid of my older brother."

"If you love him this much and you want to spend your life with him, then you need to grow a backbone and tell Len," she said. "I don't mean to sound like a bitch, but shit. The longer you wait, the more the tension will build up before it explodes."

Melanie nodded, "I just don't want it to cause problems with everyone else," she sighed. "I don't want you guys to feel like you have to choose who to be friends with, because you know it's going to end up like that. It's happened to Len already with his ex-wife and their friends.." she shook her head. "I can't let that happen to him again."

Nyota nodded, "Don't worry about us picking sides," she patted her shoulder. "Just worry about sitting his stubborn ass down and telling him."

"Okay," Melanie nodded. "I'll tell him after the party."

"Good," Nyota nodded. "Now, lets get you a pretty dress, hm? One that Chris can decorate his bedroom floor with."


	25. Chapter 25

"Easy on the steps, Jo," Melanie said, holding onto the six year old's hand. "Daddy will kill me if you get hurt."

It was New Years Eve, and another round of snow came through Seattle the day before, dropping two inches in less than eight hours. Luckily, the snowplows came through an hour after the snow stopped, clearing the streets and dropping a salt mix down. The _Yorktown _ended up closing around five, instead of seven, giving everyone a chance to cook and change their clothes.

"Hurry Aunt Mellie!" Joanna squealed. "Nyota made cupcakes!"

Melanie giggled as she knocked on the front door to the restaurant. "I know she did," she said, fixing Joanna's hair band. "She told me last night that she was making a whole bunch of stuff for you to eat."

A few seconds later, the door opened and Jim stood before them. "Ah, the lovely McCoy ladies have arrived!" he grinned. "Please, come in!"

Joanna ran inside, turning around to wait for Melanie as Jim closed the door. "Could I please take your coats?" he asked, taking on a French accent. "Ah, merci!" he bowed his head, as Melanie shrugged off her jacket.

"You are so cute," Melanie said, squeeze his cheeks. "Happy New Year."

Jim grinned, "Happy New Year to you," he kissed her cheek. He then turned to Joanna and squatted down, "And Happy New Year to you as well, Princess."

Joanna ran forward and hugged him around the neck, kissing his cheek. "Happy New Year!" she squealed.

Standing up, Jim took Mealnie's coat and hung it on the coat rack. "Everyone's in the back putting the final touches on everything. Hikaru and Scotty are fighting over the bathroom, since Pavel is taking _forever _to change his clothes," he informed her, as Melanie took Joanna's coat off.

"Where's my lovely grump of a brother?" she asked, handing the pink coat over.

Jim sighed, "Last I saw, he was helping Phil hook the television up since it stopped working," he shrugged. "Something about the cable, I don't know."

Joanna tugged on Melanie's skirt, "Aunt Mellie, I'm hungry."

"I know you are," she said, patting the top of her head. "Let's go see what everyone made."

"Actually, "Jim stopped her. "I'll take Jo to the kitchen to get some food. I made the meanest piggies in a blanket for a special someone," he grinned at Joanna.

"Yay! I love those!" Joanna said, jumping up and down. "Can I go?" she asked, looking at Melanie.

Melanie nodded, "Go on," she said with a smile. "Just don't get your dress dirty!"

Jim took Joanna's hand and started towards the kitchen, "You wait right there Miss Mellie," he said, laying the southern accent on thick. "A mighty fine gentlemen wants to see you."

He then tipped an imaginary hat and led Joanna through the restaurant to the kitchen. "Ohh! Is it Hugh Jackman?" she yelled after him.

"Hugh Jackman?"

Melanie yelped as two arms circled around her waist, "Not to sound too full of myself," Chris started. "But I think I'm a hell of a lot better looking than Hugh Jackman."

She giggled, "Hmmm, but can you sing?" she asked, turning around to face him. "Because if you can, I may lose my panties quicker."

Chris snorted, "Happy New Year to you too," he said.

"Happy New Year," she grinned, before kissing him. "You smell like cinnamon and something sweet."

"Jim was experimenting and somehow managed to make an entire container of cinnamon explode all over our uniforms," he shook his head. "Your brother almost killed him."

Melanie rolled her eyes, "That sounds like Len," she shook her head. "Always having a stroke."

Chris chuckled, as he took in what she was wearing. "Well," his eyes raked up and down her body. "Don't you look nice."

The dress she ended up picking out, much to Nyota's encouragement, was short and tight. A dark burgundy silk that covered her toned body, hugging in all the right places, which would definitely find it's way on Chris's bedroom floor later that night. The top contained a lace overlay, turning into long sleeves, giving the dress a classy edge.

"Well," she wrapped her arms over his shoulders, "I thought this would look nice on both me and your bedroom floor."

"If you keep that up," he whispered, gripping her hips tightly. "I won't be able to control myself."

Melanie grinned, "Well, I guess you better control yourself," she nipped at his lips. "Christopher."

She then pulled away, taking a few steps backwards, before turning around and walking towards the kitchen, her hips swaying seductively.

…

By eight, everyone was slightly buzzed from the open bar. Gaila shared every detail of her trip to Scotland with Scotty, looking happier than ever as she spoke of her boyfriend. Melanie finally met Spock, who she liked immediately. It was obvious that Nyota had spoke highly of her friends, and it was apparent when Spock asked for her thoughts on the April issue of the National Geographic that contained never before seen pictures of the Titanic.

"How can you even have a conversation with him?" Jim asked, as Melanie went to the food counter. "He's like.. boring!"

Melanie plucked a tortilla chip from the bowl, "Spock is not boring," she said, dipping the chip into the salsa bowl. "He's very intelligent and Nyota really likes him."

Jim rolled his eyes, "Ugh, he eats that organic shit. Nyota was making tofu and organic treats for him earlier."

Melanie snickered, "You sound so jealous right now," she elbowed him. "All because Nyota is moony eyed over a guy."

"Says the woman who keeps shooting Chris the "meet me in the ladies room in five minutes" look," he snorted into his drink. "Don't play dumb, Mellie. I know that look. I _invented _that look."

She blushed, "Oh, you are so.. well I never!" she huffed, before storming away.

Making her way towards the hallway, she quickly brushed past Chris. "Meet me in the ladies room," she said quickly. "Five minutes."

She then looked back at him as she pushed the bathroom door opened, nodding once, before disappearing inside.

From across the dining room, Jim watched as Chris slowly made his way down that same hallway, before disappearing into the ladies room, shaking his head and smirking as he sipped his drink.

…

"Where the hell did my sister go?" Leonard asked, as he came out of the kitchen with another platter of food. "I feel like she's been MIA all night."

Jim sputtered, nearly choking on his drink. "What?" he asked, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand,

"My sister?" Leonard frowned. "Did she leave?"

Jim shook his head quickly, "I think she went to get something from her car," he lied. "Do you need help in there?" he asked.

"Would you mind?" Leonard asked. "Sulu put all these damn trays in the oven and waltzed out to party with Janice."

Jim set his drink down and hopped off the stool, following Leonard into the kitchen. "What the hell did he make anyway?"

Leonard grabbed the potholders off the counter, "All this healthy shit," he grunted. "Baked zucchini and spinach soufflés, something with asparagus and I don't even want to know what this is."

Moving the empty trays into a pile, Leonard placed the finished product down and sighed. "I thought we would make easy food," he moved back to the oven. "Finger food that kids eat; mozzarella sticks, potato skins.. those hot dog things that Joanna gobbled up."

Jim snickered, "Hikaru likes to experiment here," he shrugged. "The way he makes spinach, makes the entire apartment reek for days."

Leonard shook his head, "What the hell am I gonna do with all this shit?" he looked at the food before him. "Is this even good?"

He picked up a weird pastry type hors d'oeuvre, and took a bite. "You know what," he chewed. "It ain't that bad."

"Oh god, not you too!" Jim groaned, as Leonard collected a smaller tray from the end of the counter. "How can you eat that healthy shit? You of all people, Mr. "I like my steak rare!""

Leonard shrugged as he set the food onto the platter, "It's not that bad," he insisted. "Try one and you'll thank me for it."

Jim gave him a skeptical look, "Let's just put this shit outside," he huffed. "The ball is going to drop soon and I want to see who's going to hookup with who."

…..

Melanie and Chris scurried out of the ladies room thirty minutes later, keeping their eyes peeled for Leonard. Once the coast was clear, they stepped back out into the dining room and casually fell back into place among the others.

"Why is your boss staring at me?" Melanie whispered, as they went to the bar. "It's kinda creeping me out."

Chris looked at her, before turning his attention back to Phil. As Melanie said, he was looking at her with lust in his eyes.

"Just ignore him," he said, shooting Phil a warning look. "You're with me and that's all that matters."

Melanie turned back to him, "My knight in shining armor," she cooed, as he fixed her a drink. "I may knee him in the balls if he comes near me though," she warned.

Chris handed her the drink, "Not if I get to him first."

"Ball is gonna drop in ten minutes!" Jim yelled, as he turned the volume up on the television. "Scotty, give me a hand over here!"

Scotty excused himself from Gaila's side, moving to the bar to help Jim with the champagne and glasses. Leonard sat Joanna down on a stool, handing her a glass of a non-alcoholic Shirley temple.

"Where did you run off too?" he asked, looking at Melanie. "I was lookin' all over for you"

Melanie glanced at Chris, as Leonard kept his eye on Joanna. "Ran out to my car," she shrugged. "Thought I left my phone in there."

Leonard nodded, "Did you eat?" he asked, as Joanna handed him the glass. "Make sure you eat something if you're drinking, Mel."

She smiled, "I am," she insisted. "You know me and food. If you're going to put it out, I'm gonna eat it."

He snorted, "Don't I know it," he sighed. "You look beautiful, Mel."

Blushing, Melanie looked down at her shoes, as Leonard came over to her. "Really," he kissed her forehead. "You're making all of us look like bums. Even Jim is seething in jealousy."

Chris snorted, as he leaned against the counter. "And Jim worked so hard on his hair after we closed," he sighed, shaking his head.

Melanie laughed as Jim and Scotty moved around the room, handing out glasses of champagne. "Five minutes everyone!" Jim shouted.

Accepting their glasses, Melanie and Chris moved around to face the television that hung from the wall behind the bar. It was a cold night in New York City, as thousands crowded together in Times Square to celebrate new beginnings. Luckily, the snowstorm that hit Seattle wasn't due to hit the eastern seaboard until the end of the week. Once everyone had a drink- a refill for Joanna- everyone stood together as Ryan Seacrest began the countdown. Leonard had Joanna perched against his hip, holding onto her cup instead of his champagne.

"Five, four, three, two, one! HAPPY NEW YEAR!"

Hugs and kisses went around the room, as two thousand thirteen rolled in, on the east coast. While it was only nine in Seattle, everyone had agreed that they would celebrate with New York on their time, before celebrating again when the clock hit twelve Seattle time. Leonard gave Melanie a big kiss on the cheek, while Joanna did the same.

"Happy New Year!" Leonard said, hugging her tightly with one arm.

She smiled at him, her heart hurting, as she hugged him again. "I love you."

"Love you too, Sis."

Melanie moved around the room, hugging Gaila and Nyota, while the boys gave her a kiss on the cheek. She successfully managed to avoid Phil; his eyes followed her around the room, as she made he way back to Chris.

"Let's get this party started!" Sulu shouted, popping open another bottle of champagne.

….

Midnight came and went, as the employees and special guests partied inside the _Yorktown Tavern. _As midnight came and went, Leonard decided it was time to take Joanna home, since they had a busy day with finishing up her book report. Nyota and Melanie saw them off, making sure they had enough cupcakes and cookies for Joanna.

Once they went back inside, Gaila managed to snatch Melanie's phone, and started taking pictures of everyone.

"My camera is full," Gaila said, when Melanie asked why she couldn't use her own phone. "I have to upload everything to my computer."

Along with Chris, Gaila and Scotty joined them outback. While Gaila and Scotty smoked, Chris and Melanie huddled together against the brick wall, wrapped up in their coats.

"Smile you two!" Gaila said, snapping a quick photo of them. "Aww, you two are so cute!" she cooed.

Melanie rolled her eyes, giggling as Gaila continued snapping photos. "I'm anticipating for boob shots later," she whispered to Chris. "She does this all the time."

"Perfect blackmail material," he grinned, wrapping his arm around her. "Happy New Year, Mel."

She leaned into him, "Happy, Happy, New Year," she grinned, before kissing him.

Gaila took the opportunity to snap a photo of them kissing and one after, as they gazed lovingly into each other's eyes. "You know," she took a quick puff from her cigarette. "You two would make the most cutest babies."

Melanie and Chris blushed and looked away from each other, while Gaila giggled. She then disappeared inside to take more photos, Scotty following close behind.

"Wanna leave soon?" Chris asked, pressing her gently against the wall.

She nodded, "Very soon?" she asked. "I'm getting tired of being social with everyone and it's cold."

Chris nodded, "Let's go get your phone from Gaila and then we can wrap up some food to take home," he opened the back door. "Because I don't plan on cooking tomorrow on my day off."

…..


	26. Chapter 26

**Thank you for the reviews! This chapter is kinda long, but it's pretty intense! Hope you enjoy it! **

In the days following New Year's, Melanie went on with her normal tasks. Work, take care of Joanna, and sleep at Chris's house. After spending the night at his apartment, Melanie was sure that Chris was the one for her. After Gaila's comment about "having the cutest babies", they talked about the possibility of actually having a child together. While they were both busy in their professional lives; being a head chef six days a week and a researcher everyday, children didn't fit into the plan. But they were both open to the idea, maybe in a year or two- depending on how things went- they would have a child.

"I'm not getting any younger, "Chris said, as they laid in bed that night. "I would be fine with one child, two if we're lucky."

It was all Melanie could think about; their dream home, marriage, babies. All of it with Chris, who wanted the same things as she did. While the last relationship almost made it to that crossing point, crashing and burning so close to the end, Melanie was determined to avoid that situation. She _needed _to tell Leonard. It was after their talk about children that made Melanie realize how serious the relationship became over three months.

She only hoped that Leonard would understand and accept the relationship, especially since he worked with Chris everyday. Out of all the men she could've dated from the restaurant, Chris was by far the best choice she made. While she loved the others dearly, their own quirks and "we take care of our own" attitude, they simply didn't match up to Chris. So everyday, as she worked, took care of Joanna or slept next to Chris, Melanie prayed that her brother would accept her relationship.

…..

"Jo that's too much glitter!" Mealnie said, as Joanna dumped pink and purple glitter on the newspaper. "You're going to get it on the floor!"

"But I want it for my butterflies!" she exclaimed, picking up the paper butterflies that Melanie cut out for her. "My room is going to be fairyland!"

It was Saturday morning, which meant that there was no school and no need to work. Leonard had Joanna up by nine and made sure breakfast was served, before heading out to the store. Deciding that it was too cold to go out, Melanie declared it "Arts and Crafts Day!" and retrieved all the art supplies from the closet. Now, three hours later, the entire kitchen table was covered in paper, markers, scissors, glue and glitter.

"Okay, but you don't need to dump an entire pot of glitter on them," Melanie said, moving the pots away from Joanna. "Let's clean this up first before we continue."

As they cleared the glitter up, dumping the remains into a small bowl, Leonard came in through the side door.

"Oh my god, did a fairy explode all over the table?" he asked, setting a few shopping bags down on the counter. "Do we even have enough paper towels to clean that up?"

Melanie tossed the scraps of paper into the trash, and wiped her hands together. "I hope so," she mumbled, moving back to the table. "Aw damn, my new phone case has been glitterfied!"

Joanna giggled, "It was boring," she smiled. "I made it pretty!"

"Thanks Jo," she said weakly, looking at the newly designed phone case that cost a fortune. "Not only will my phone survive harsh elements, but it'll attract Tinkerbelle and her friends."

She then removed the phone from the case and placed it on top of the mail that covered the small table against the wall. "I'll be right back," she said. "I need to see how I can remove this without wrecking the damn thing."

Leonard nodded and moved to the kitchen table, looking down at the mess. "What are you two doing anyways?" he asked, as Joanna ran her fingers all over the paper.

"Makin' butterflies!" she held up the overly glittered paper. "Do you want one for your room?"

He ruffled her hair, "Sure," he nodded. "Make sure it's a nice one, Jo."

Making his way towards the counter, Leonard unpacked the few grocery bags and put the food away. As he set the milk on the shelf, Melanie's phone began to chime, signaling a new text message.

"Mel! Your phone!" he yelled, as Joanna knocked the bucket of markers to the floor. "Dammit."

As he knelt down to scoop the markers up, Melanie's phone continued to ping, the noise driving him crazy. Setting the bucket down on the chair, Leonard got up and went to the table against the wall. Picking up the phone, he saw that Gaila was texting her. She had already left six messages in less than five minutes, which slightly worried him. He knew that Scotty was dating the redhead, and that they were both head over heels for each other.

Without thinking twice, Leonard unlocked the phone and opened the chat box.

_OMG I went and instagrammed the photos I took from NYE. I LOVE FILTERS~_

_MAKE SURE TO TAG ANYONE FROM THE RESTURANT IN THE PHOTOS, SINCE I'M ONLY FOLLOWING NYOTA AND THE LITTLE RUSSIAN KID. PAWEL? PASHA?_

_I THINK I BROKE MY PHONE! EVERYTHINGS IN CAPS AND SCOTTY'S LAUGHING AT ME BECAUSE I'M YELLING AT IT. ): _

_WHY DID I LET YOU TALK ME INTO BUYING THIS FUCKING PHONE? OBVIOUSLY APPLE SUCKS MORE DICK THAN I DID BACK IN COLLEGE!_

_CHECK YOUR INSTAGRAM BITCH! NOWWW!_

By the time Leonard reached the last fully capslocked text, his head was pounding. He could only imagine what Gaila was like in person, had she been screaming. He said a silent prayer for Scotty, as he closed out of the text box. Curious as to what an instagram was, Leonard searched through Melanie's endless clutter of apps, before finding it.

It took a few minutes for the feed to load, as various pictures of cats, nature and people's children loaded up. Scrolling through, Leonard tried to understand why anyone would want an application for photographs. Finally, he saw Gaila's account name, _RED-Y_FOR_U, _along with the first set of photos. Instead of scrolling through everyone else's photos, he tapped on Gaila's name and it brought him to her entire album.

The first few pictures consisted of her and Scotty, kissing and looking completely trashed and lovey-dovey. Then the he saw pictures of the others; Jim, Hikaru, Pavel, Nyota and Spock. She managed to put a picture of himself with Joanna up there, sometime after the ball had dropped in New York. As he went on, the pictures changed. Some included his sister, posing with Gaila and Nyota, while others included his co-workers in a state of disarray.

_These were probably taken after Jo and I left._

Then he saw something that made him pause. Scrolling back up, Leonard squinted at the thumbnail image for a moment, before clicking it.

"What the.."

It was a picture of Melanie, standing outside against the brick wall of the restaurant. And she wasn't alone. In fact, she was sucking face with someone who Leonard knew very well. At first, Leonard felt nothing but numbness, as he stared at the photo. Going back to the thumbnails, he hit the next one. This time, it was his sister staring into the eyes of the man she'd been kissing in the other photo. The look in her eyes said it all, for it was no "I'm so drunk, I'm gonna kiss you and probably not remember it in the morning" kiss.

"Ugh, I got like half the glitter off this thing," Melanie said, as she came back into the kitchen. "What a fucking joke. Fifty bucks for this thing and it's supposed to endure everything you can think of."

Leonard looked up at her, the iPhone still in his hand. Melanie noticed the silence coming from him and looked up as well, before eyeing her phone in his hand. She then looked back up at his face and saw the anger.

"What are you doing with my phone?" she asked, glancing from his hand to his face.

Leonard looked back down at the photo and handed the phone to her, "Care to explain this?" he asked, as she took it from him.

Melanie looked at him for a moment, before looking down at her opened instagram account. She gasped at the open photo of herself and Chris, taken seconds after they kissed outside the restaurant on New Years.

"Melanie? What the hell is that photo?" Leonard asked, as she looked up at him.

"Can we not do this in here?" she asked, glancing at Joanna. "Please?"

Reluctantly, Leonard nodded and followed her out of the kitchen and into the den. Sliding the door shut, Melanie set the phone into the pocket of her sweatshirt and turned around.

"Len.." she started, before he exploded.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON?" he yelled. "You better tell me, Mel!"

She stared at him, "It's a photo, Len."

He rolled his eyes, "Yeah it's a goddamn photo! Why the fuck are you taking pcitures of yourself, kissing Chris?" he snapped.

"Because.." she started, taking a deep breath. "Because we're dating, Len."

There was an eerie silence that fell between them, the tension thick in the room. Both McCoy's stared at each other; one filled with betrayal and anger. The other filled with dread and fear.

"What do you mean dating?" he asked, his tone almost deadly.

"Meaning he's my boyfriend and I'm his girlfriend?" she shook her head. "What did you think I meant by dating?" she asked.

"ARE YOU KIDIDNG ME?" he yelled. "SINCE WHEN DID YOU HAVE A FUCKING BOYFRIEND?"

"Since after Halloween."

Leonard looked away from her, pacing back and forth. "Nice," he laughed bitterly. "Real nice, Mel! You've been dating since fucking Halloween and you didn't' even think to tell me?" he asked. "I'm your fucking brother! I have the right to know these things!"

Now she too was getting mad, "The right?" she asked. "I'm sorry, but I'm a twenty-seven year old woman, Len. It's been a damn long time since anyone needed to give me permission on who I date!"

"HE'S HALF YOUR FUCKING AGE!" he roared.

"SO? YOU THINK WE CARE ABOUT THE AGE DIFFERENCE?" she yelled.

Leonard shook his head, "This is fucking unbelievable! He's old enough to be your fucking father! He was fucking twenty-one when you were born!"

"Well you better start believing it, Len!" she snapped. "I love him!"

He shook his head, laughing at her as she continued. "I love him and he wants to marry me!"

This made him stop; stop laughing and pacing, to turn and look at her. "Over my dead fuckin' body," he hissed.

"And when he does ask I'm going to say yes," she hissed. "You know why?"

He just stared at her, unable to respond at that moment. "Because I don't need YOU to tell ME who I can fucking date!" she shouted.

"YOU'RE FUCKING UNGRATEFUL!"

"FUCK YOU! WHO THE HELL ARE YOU TO JUDGE? I NEVER SAID A FUCKIGN THING TO YOU WHEN JOCELYN WAS SNORTIN' CRACK IN SUE-ELLEN'S BATHROOM ON THE FOURTH OF FUCKING JULY!"

They went like this for twenty minutes, screaming at each other.

"After everything I've done for you, "Leonard said, his voice trembling. "This is what you do? You go behind my back, fuck my boss and what?" he laughed. "You thought I'd be fine with it? That I'd welcome the idea of you marryin' Chris with open fuckin' arms?"

Melanie shook her head, "You've done NOTHING for me, Len. You left me with Mama so you could go to your fancy fucking school in New York. Then you ruined my relationship with Alex, who I was going to marry after graduation, for reasons that are still unknown today!" she snapped. "I'm the one who does everything for you, now that you finally opened your eyes and dropped your junkie of an ex-wife behind. I sat on the phone with you for hours, listening to you cry over your crumbling marriage."

Leonard looked at her she continued, "I let you come here, to live in my home, so you could get back on your feet with Jo. It was _me _who took care of you for almost a fucking year, Len! So don't you dare come in here and act like you've done a damn good thing for me, because you haven't!"

He pointed at her, "Fuck you," he hissed.

"No, fuck you," she shot back. "I'm staying with Chris and that's final. You will NOT come between this relationship, like you've done before," her tone was deadly. "I mean it, Len. I am happy and I love him and he's good to me."

Leonard snorted, "Please, "he shook his head. "When the next young thing walks through those doors, he will drop you and scoop that little chick up."

She shook her head, "You ain't nothin' but used goods, Mel," he hissed. "Pike wont marry you and I swear to god, if you two do end up making that trip down the aisle.." he paused. "I will never speak to you again."

"Make all the ultimatums you want, Len," she shook her head sadly. "In the end, you'll only hurt yourself. "

"You mark my words," he shook his finger at her. "You end this now before it's _you _that gets hurt."

"I want you out of my house," she raised her voice. "Pack your shit and get the fuck out. And if you even think about taking Jo with you, I will call up your lawyer and you'll wish you never said a damn thing to me about my relationship."

Leonard shook his head, "I'll leave tonight," he hissed. "But I'm taking Jo with me tomorrow morning. I don't want you near her and I sure as hell don't want Chris near my daughter anymore."

He then pushed past her, nearly knocking her to the ground with his shoulder, as he opened the sliding door to the den. Melanie stood still as he pounded up the staircase, storming down the hall to his room. She flinched as the threw things around the room, packing up a few things.

"Daddy where are you going?" Joanna asked, as he stormed back down the staircase.

"Getting our new house set up," he said. "You be a good girl and I'll come by tomorrow to get you."

Melanie heard the keys jingling as he picked them off the table, followed by the sound of his footsteps heading to the front door. The door slammed shut behind him, echoing off the walls and floorboards. Melanie fell to her knees, covering her face as she cried.

….

"Maybe you should get her a bracelet?" Jim suggested. "Or you could get her a ring, if you know what I mean."

Chris chuckled, "As much as I want to marry her," he skimmed through the items in the case before him. "We aren't ready to actually take the plunge."

Jim rolled his eyes, "Please," he scoffed. "I'm betting on a summer wedding of this year, the way you two are moving at this rate."

Chris's phone started to ring, "Hold that thought," he said, pulling the phone out of his pocket. "Ah, it's Mel."

"Oh Miss Mellie is callin her Ashely," Jim clutched his chest, fluttering his eyelashes. "Oh delightful."

"Knock it off, Jim, " Chris said, as he accepted the call. "Hello?"

Instead of her usual witty banter, Chris was met with sniffling and the sound of someone talking in the background. Chris frowned, as he picked up that it was Joanna talking in background.

"Mel? What's wrong?"

Jim noticed the change in Chris's tone, quickly pushing away from the counter to look at him. "What's going on?" he asked, as Chris shrugged.

He could hear the sound of the phone being moved around, before Joanna's voice filled his ear.

"Hello?"

"Jo? Honey it's Chris," he glanced at Jim. "I work with your Daddy at the restaurant."

"Oh, hi!" she greeted him.

"It's Jo,' Chris said, pulling the phone away from his mouth. "I have a bad feeling."

Jim nodded and pulled out his own phone, spotting the six missed calls and four text messages from Leonard. "Aw shit," he mumbled.

"Jo, is your Aunt okay?" Chris asked.

He could hear the sobbing and Joanna asking if she was all right, "No Mr. Chris," Joanna said into the phone. "Aunt Mellie is crying and I think my Daddy had something to do with it."

Chris silently cursed to himself, "Stay right there with her," he said, moving to the door of the shop. "I'll be there in a few minutes."

Hanging up, Chris quickly moved outside with Jim following close behind. "I think he found out," Jim said, as Chris climbed into the car. "Len blew up my phone with voicemails and texts."

"Okay, I'm gonna drive to Mel's house and you take my car to wherever he is," he ordered, as the car started.

Jim nodded, "I'm guessing things didn't go according to plan, huh?" he asked.

Chris shook his head, "Jim, I have no fucking idea what happened,' he said, turning at the light. "All I know is that it didn't end very well."


	27. Chapter 27

Chris pulled into the driveway, parking right behind Melanie's car. Cutting the engine, he and Jim quickly got out and moved up the front steps to the door.

"Shit," Chris cursed. "How the hell are we going to get in? Mel won't come to the door and I'm sure Jo was taught that opening the door without permission is off limits!"

Jim jumped into the flowerbed, scurrying around through the piles of snow. "What are you doing? We don't have time to build a snowman, Jim!" Chris shouted.

"I'm not building a snowman," Jim huffed, grabbing the turtle statue. "I am finding you a way in."

Chris watched as Jim removed the bottom of the statue, dumping a set of keys into his gloved hand. He then dropped the turtle statue into the snow and handed the keys to Chris, who quickly took them and unlocked the front door. Within seconds, both men were in the house and moving throughout the rooms.

"Mel?"

"Mellie? Jo?"

Joanna quickly ran out from the back out the house, still dressed in her pajamas. "Jim! Mr. Chris!" she yelled, running right into Jim's arms.

"Hey String Bean," Jim kissed her cheek. "Where's your Aunt Mellie?" he asked.

"She's in the tv room," she pointed in the direction she came from. "Jim, I'm hungry."

Chris nodded, "You go ahead and make this one some lunch," he ruffled her hair. "I'll go to Mel."

Jim nodded and started towards the kitchen, "What do you we want for lunch? How about a yummy sandwich?"

Chris made his way down the hall and into the den, finding Melanie sitting on the floor where Joanna left her. He quickly went to her, dropping down on his knees and taking her into his arms.

"Melanie?"

She looked up at him, her eyes red and wet, sniffling. Once she realized who was actually holding her, Melanie started to cry again.

"Oh honey," he said, as she wrapped her arms around him. "It's okay, it's okay," he kissed the side of her head.

Melanie shook her head, sobbing uncontrollably as he held her. "N-n-no it's n-not!" she stuttered.

"What happened?" he asked, cradling her face in his hands. "Mel, what happened?"

She couldn't speak, sobbing and gasping, as the tears rolled down her face. A few seconds later, Jim came into the room, pausing in the doorway of the den.

"Jo's eating," he said, staring at Melanie. "Um, I asked her what happened and she said that she heard a lot of yelling and bad language being used."

Melanie sobbed harder, which scared Jim. But Chris nodded, "Did he find out?" he asked.

She nodded, "H-he's leaving and taking J-jo with him.," she hiccupped. "H-he doesn't w-want me around her anymore."

Chris shifted into a seated position on the floor and pulled her onto his lap, "He can't keep you from Jo," he said, as she held onto him tightly. "Do you want me to go and talk to him?"

Melanie lifted her head up and shook it fiercely, "No!" she whimpered. "He'll hurt you! Please don't go to him!" she begged, growing hysterical.

He held onto her arms, keeping her still. "Hey, hey," he said soothingly. "I wont' go."

Jim excused himself, quietly making his way out of the den, pulling the sliding door shut behind him.

"He wanted me to leave you," he heard Melanie say. "But I couldn't do that! I won't leave you."

Peeking through the tiny crack, Jim watched as Chris kissed her forehead. "You don't have to do anything you don't want to do," he said, as he held her.

Closing the door, Jim made his way back into the kitchen, watching as Joanna ate at the table.

"When can I see Daddy?" Joanna asked, as Jim sat down across from her. "He's supposed to read my a bedtime story later."

Jim felt his heart break for both Melanie and Joanna. Melanie, because she was forced to choose between her relationship with Chris or her brother, not having the option of both. And for Joanna, because she was so young and already heading into another shit storm at such a young age.

"How about we call him after you eat?" he suggested. "That way we can see where he is."

Joanna nodded and picked up the other half of her sandwich, taking a huge bite, causing the lettuce and chicken to fall onto the plate. She giggled as Jim reached over the table with a napkin, wiping her face off. Jim silently cursed Leonard, promising to give him a piece of his mind about the entire situation.

…..

By the time Melanie managed to compose herself, partially that is, it was after eight-thirty. Jim, bless his heart, made sure Joanna ate, took a bath and read a few pages of her book, before she fell asleep.

"She's out cold, "he said, sitting down on the sofa. "She really likes those Percy books, huh?"

Melanie, wrapped up in a blanket and sprawled out across Chris's lap, nodded. "Did you talk to him?" she asked quietly.

Jim sighed and nodded, "He's staying at Janice's apartment for the night," he sighed. "Said he's going to look at this apartment tomorrow morning and hopefully rent it out until he figures something out."

She nodded, "Is he taking Jo?"

"I don't know, sweetie," he patted her foot. "I told him that he needs to re-think about keeping Jo away from you. He's not in a stable place right now to take her away from you, considering the fact that is basically is a single parent. Besides you, he knows only us from work."

Chris sighed, "I wish I was here with you when this happened," he shook his head. "Maybe it would've ended differently."

Melanie shook her head, "No, it wouldn't," she looked at him. "It would've ended exactly the same way, except he would've punched you and been arrested. Then he would lose Joanna and then what?"

"How about we just try to relax?" Jim suggested. "Mel, how about I make you something to eat? You must be starving."

She shook her head, "I'm not hungry."

Chris rubbed her back, "You should really eat something, Mel," he said. "Even if it's a tiny bite."

Instead of responding, Melanie settled her head against his chest and closed her eyes; too emotionally and physically exhausted to speak anymore.

…..

Across town, Pavel, Scotty and Hikaru sat around in Scotty's kitchen. They had spent the day unpacking Pavel's belongings into the spare bedroom, officially making him Scotty's roomie.

"Dude, my phone has been text'd bombed in the last three hours," Hikaru said, scanning at the text log on his phone. "Between McCoy and Jim, I'm tempted to kill Jim first so I can get the apartment to myself."

Pavel snorted as Scotty went to the counter to check his phone, "Ah've been bombed too," he said, frowning. "All from McCoy."

"Really?" Pavel asked. "Dude what the hell?"

Hikaru shrugged as he opened up the messages, reading each one from Leonard. "Oh shit.." he whispered.

Scotty did the same, "Bloody hell, lads," he shook his head. "Tis not good."

"What happened?" he asked, as Scotty's houseline started ringing.

As Scotty answered the house phone, Hikaru slid his iPhone across the table to Pavel.

"Ay lass," Scotty nodded, as he looked down at his phone. "Sulu and I got a bunch of texts from him."

Pavel picked up Hikaru's phone and started reading the messages, gasping as scrolled through them.

YOU ALL KNEW ABOUT MY SISTER AND CHRIS, DIDN'T YOU? HOW COULD YOU CALL YOURSELVES MY FRIENDS? WHO ELSE KNEW ABOUT THIS, SULU? I'VE BEEN TEXING JIM, SCOTTY, NYOTA AND THEY HAVEN'T RESPONDED. I GUESS THAT MEANS THEY KNOW ABOUT THIS.

"Holy shit, he is so pissed, "Pavel shook his head slowly. "You don't use caps unless your pissed or really excited about something."

"Aye, let me know what happens after you talk to her," Scotty nodded. "By Nyota."

Hikaru and Pavel watched as Scotty hung up the phone, "Nyota said that McCoy came by and pounded on her front door for twenty minutes," he said, sitting back down at the table. "She and Spock were watching him from the room upstairs and didn't answer."

"Oh fuck," Hikaru shook his head. "What the hell happened?" he asked, as Scotty started texting.

"Ah don't know," he shook his head. "But ah think he knows about Mel and Chris."

Pavel nodded, "I mean this text and all seventy-five of the others basically point in that direction."

Scotty's phone buzzed and he quickly checked the message, "Jim's at her house now with Chris," he said, reading. "Says the lass called Chris and little Jo told him what happened."

Hikaru shook his head, "Oh god, Joanna," he covered his face with his hands. "She's must've been there when he confronted her."

"You don' t think McCoy like.. hit her or anything?" he asked, looking at them , suddenly nervous. "Do you?"

"If McCoy slapped Mel around," Scotty started. "He'd be in Scotland Yard, lad."

"Maybe we should go over there and make sure she's okay," Hikaru suggested. "I mean, McCoy is a scary motherfucker."

Scotty looked down at his phone again, "Jim said Chris just took her upstairs to bed," he scrolled through the new text. "He wants us to come by tomorrow in order to figure out what to do next."

"This is so bad," Pavel shook his head. "Are we gonna have to like.. pick sides? Because I hardly know McCoy and his sister is a nice lady."

"We are not picking sides, "HIkaru shook his head. "Eventually this will blow over and McCoy will get over it! He can't tell her who she can or cannot date!"

Scotty nodded, "Besides," he set the phone down. "She'll come back swinging at him once she gets over the shock. I'll bet my money on it."

…

Chris stepped out of the bedroom, pulling the door closed behind him. He then turned and headed down the hall to Joanna's room, as Jim stood outside the bedroom door.

"Sleeping?" Jim asked, as Chris stopped next to him.

He nodded, "Took a while, but she's out," he sighed. "I'm gonna stay here for the night."

Jim nodded, "I'll stay too," he peeked back into Joanna's room. "I rather be here when he comes back tomorrow, that way he doesn't kill you all."

"Jim," Chris started.

But Jim shook his head, "No, I'm staying," his tone meaning business. "You're all my friends and I care a lot about you guys, especially that little girl in there."

Chris nodded, "Okay," he sighed, knowing that he would be unable to change his mind. "Let's get the couch set up for you and lock up."

Quietly, the both went down stairs and cleaned up the kitchen, before searching the hall closets for blankets and extra pillows. While Jim made up a bed on the couch, Chris went and locked the doors and pulled the shades down. It was a little after eleven, yet they were both exhausted from the days events.

"Everything's locked up," Chris said, as Jim set the pillow down. "You gonna be alright down here?"

Jim nodded, "I'll watch some television if I get restless," he shrugged. "I'll give you a five second warning when he shows up."

Chris nodded, "Sounds good, even though the thought of Leonard kicking my ass isn't that fun."

"That's if Bones really wants to spend time in jail," Jim frowned. "To be honest, he probably should be in jail with that attitude problem of his."

He then grew serious, "Do you think they'll ever talk again?" he asked,

Chris shrugged, "I don't know, Jim," he sighed. "Probably not for a while."

Jim ran his fingers along the lampshade, "It just sucks," he shrugged. "I really didn't think Bones would get so mad at her for dating you. You're a good guy and you treat her with respect. You'd think Bones would appreciate that."

"I think he does," Chris looked around the room. "But something must've happened between them for him to act like this. Or maybe it's something to do with his divorce and how he views relationships."

Jim nodded, "Yeah, maybe," he said quietly.

Chris sighed, "Whatever it is," he stretched his arms over his head. "Time will tell. Only Mel and Len can fix their relationship, and put the past behind them," he shrugged. "I'm gonna head up to bed. I don't want Mel to wake up and come back down here."

"I'll see ya in the morning," Jim yawned, swinging his legs up onto the couch.

"Night Jim," Chris said softly, moving up the stairs.

Jim pulled the blanket up to his chin and reached out for the remote, turning the television on. Flipping through the channels, he settled on a random movie channel and tucked his arms back under the blanket. With a sigh, he settled down into the couch cushions and hoped that everything would turn out alright.


	28. Chapter 28

Chris quietly closed the door behind him, shuffling in the darkness towards the bed. The only lighting came from the flood light from the neighbors yard, filtering through the blinds and drawn curtains. Carefully, Chris slid into bed next to Melanie, pulling the blanket up and over him.

"Hmm," Melanie stirred, twisting under the blankets.

Carefully, Chris slid closer to her, pulling the blankets back up. "Shhh," he whispered, stroking the back of her head.

Once she stopped moving, giving no sign of waking up anytime soon, he leaned down and kissed her exposed cheek. Then, lying down against the pillows, Chris tried to relax both his mind and body, waiting for the moment when Leonard would return.

…

Leonard woke up early the next morning, disoriented at first when he realized that he was in an unfamiliar room. When the sudden flood of the events from the day before came rushing back to him, he was automatically filled with anger. Janice, one of the waitresses at the restaurant, had been nice enough to let him crash on her sofa for the night.

"Hey," Leonard looked up to find her standing in the doorway to her kitchen. "You want coffee? I have a class in twenty minutes."

He shook his head, "Nah," he got up slowly from the sofa. "I should get going so I can take a look at that apartment."

Janice nodded, "Okay," she moved back into the kitchen, leaving him to gather his things.

One trip to the bathroom and a quick check of his messages, Leonard had his shoes and coat on, and was standing in the kitchen. "Thanks for letting me crash here for the night," he said, as Janice packed up her lunch.

"You're welcome," she smiled. "Let me know how it went with the apartment."

He nodded and they said their goodbyes, promising to see each other at work later one. Once he was in the car, Leonard sat back against the seat and sighed. It had been a long day, learning that his sister was secretly dating his co-worker behind his back. He drove around for hours, calling his other co-workers and texting them. It had been obvious that they knew about the relationship, when half of them never texted or called back. He managed to get a hold of Jim, who wouldn't confirm nor deny that he knew about everything. Hell, even Nyota wouldn't answer her door when he showed up a few minutes after leaving the house.

And the fact that he had to work with these people later that evening, made him even angrier. To be locked up in the same kitchen, with an abundance of sharp items with his anger, wasn't good. He didn't even want to look at Chris, now knowing that he was sleeping with his own sister. When the image of Chris and Melanie together popped up in his head, Leonard quickly stopped himself. He started the car and slowly pulled away from the curb, watching out for oncoming traffic. He would worry about work later, and put his attention on getting Joanna out of that house.

…

When Leonard came by around noon to collect Joanna, it was Jim who did the dirty work. Melanie managed to pack up a bag of Jo's clothes, books and toys, while Chris stayed in her room. For fear of the possibility that Leonard would tear the house apart to look for him, Chris promised that he would stay in her room with the door locked. He thought it was silly, a grown man himself, that he had to lock himself into a room. But when Melanie came to him, in tears, begging that he do this one thing for her, he couldn't find it in him to say no.

Jim kept Leonard outside on the porch, telling him that it wouldn't be smart to go inside.

"Joanna heard enough yesterday to get the idea that you're fighting," he said, when Leonard questioned why he couldn't' go inside. "If you two start fighting again, right in front of her, it'll screw her up even more."

So reluctantly, Leonard listened and sat on the wicker chair against the brick wall of the house. He cursed and mumbled, bitching about how ridiculous the entire thing was that he couldn't go inside to get his daughter.

"You know why," Jim snapped. "Just, calm the fuck down and get your head out of your ass for once!"

This put Leonard into complete silence, for Jim never raised his voice like that to him in the nine months they've known each other.

He nodded slowly, "Alright," he looked confused and exhausted. "I'll shut my mouth."

Jim gave him a smug look, "Good."

….

Meanwhile, as Melanie packed up a duffle bag for Joanna, she tried to keep herself under control.

"Why am I leaving?" Joanna asked from her spot on the bed. "I don't want to go to a new home!"

"Oh baby," Melanie sat down next to her. "You and Daddy are gonna stay at another place for a while."

How could she explain to a six year old that her father didn't want her around her Aunt? She was too young to understand that Leonard didn't approve of her boyfriend, not that Joanna knew of her and Chris's relationship to begin with.

"Will I ever see you again?" Joanna asked, as Melanie put a bunch of books into her backpack.

This made Melanie's eyes tear up, forcing her to look away and bite down on her lip. "Soon Jo," she took a deep breath, letting it out, before turning back to her. "I'll see you again really soon."

Once she assumed that Joanna had enough things to last her for the week, Melanie carried her bags down stairs while Joanna followed behind. Setting the bags down by the front door, Melanie scooped Joanna up into her arms and hugged her tightly.

"I love you, Jo," she said, as Joanna hugged her tightly. "You know that right?"

Joanna nodded, "Yes Aunt Mellie,' she pulled her head back to look at her. "I love you too."

Holding her tightly for a few more minutes, Melanie reluctantly knocked three times on the door, signaling to Jim that she was ready. She could hear Jim saying something, before opening the screen door, knocking back three times to assure her that it was indeed him behind the door.

"You ready?" he asked, as she opened the door.

Melanie shook her head, "No, but I have no choice," she said sadly, turning to look at Jo. "You be a good girl, okay? You mind your manners and do your chores."

Joanna nodded, "I don't want to leave you, Aunt Mellie," she whined.

"I know you don't," she kissed her forehead. "But you have to go with Daddy," she said, as Jim took her bags. "It's only for a little while."

When Jim returned to the door, Melanie shifted Joanna into his arms. "I'll call you as soon as I can," she told her, as Joanna began to cry.

"No! I don't want to go!" she cried, as Jim carried her away from the door. "NO!"

Melanie covered her mouth, sobbing as Joanna went from Jim's arms to Leonard's. It was too painful to watch, as he carried her down the front steps the car. Jim followed with her bags, putting them into the back of the truck, as Leonard wrestled Joanna into the backseat of the car. She could hear her screaming, as she tried to push Leonard's hands away.

"NO!" she shrieked. "AUNT MELLIE!"

Oblivious to the fact that Chris came downstairs, now standing right behind her, Melanie watched as Jim slowly made his way back up to the house. Leonard pulled the truck out of the driveway and out onto the street, before driving off down the street. Melanie began to sob freely, as Jim walked up the front steps to the porch. Chris pulled her away from the door, as Jim came inside.

"Shhh, it's okay," he said, as she hid her face into his chest. "You'll see her again."

Melanie sobbed as Jim grabbed his coat off the hook, "I'm gonna leave you two alone for a while," he said, as Chris nodded. "I'll come back around three to get you."

Chris nodded and nodded to his keys on the table, "Thank you, Jim."

Jim nodded and placed his hand on Melanie's shoulder, "Hang in there, Mel," he rubbed her shoulder. "We'll fix this."

Once he left, Chris carefully swooped Melanie up into his arms and carried her into the den. Placing her on the sofa, he grabbed the blanket off the back of the couch and covered her up.

"I'm going to make you some lunch," he said, as she curled up into a ball, shaking her head. "Baby, you have to eat something."

She shook her head, "No," she whimpered.

Chris sighed as he grabbed the remote to the television, "Try to relax," he said, putting the remote next to her. "I'll be back in a few minutes to check on you."

He then stood up and moved out of the den and into the kitchen, pulling the refrigerator door open. If he couldn't fix Melanie's relationship with Leonard right away, he would try his best to help her cope. He wouldn't let her starve herself, wallowing in her grief at home. There was no way in hell; he would let her get to the state of mind that would result in depression.

Grabbing a fresh package of chicken, Chris moved to the store and grabbed a frying pan out of the dish rack near the sink. Setting the pan down on the burner, he moved around the pantry, digging around for something to go with the chicken. Part of him wanted to call out of work, as he eyed the phone on the table. Not because he was afraid of Leonard, but because he was afraid of leaving Melanie alone.

Carrying a box of rice back to the stove, Chris made a mental note to call Gaila. If anyone could help Melanie out of her emotional crisis, besides himself, Gaila was the right person to ask.


	29. Chapter 29

Tensions were high at the _Yorktown, _as everyone walked on eggshells, waiting for the moment when Leonard would take his butcher knife and lodge it in Chris's back. Not surprisingly however, the day after Leonard found out about Mel and Chris, it was Leonard's usual fill-in that showed up for work. It continued like this for three days, until Leonard showed up for work Wednesday night. The tension between both Leonard and Chris was so apparent, that Phil ended up calling them into his office one at a time.

"I don't know what's going on, "Phil said, as Chris sat before him. "But whatever it is, keep it out of the kitchen. I didn't hire you both just to have you dishing out your personal problems."

So for the rest of the week, Leonard stayed in his corner and Chris stayed in his, avoiding all talk. Jim, Hikaru and Nyota were the ones who did all the dirty work, making sure things got out on time and that no one ended up bleeding on the floor.

On Saturday night, Valentine's Day, Nyota waited for Chris as he locked the back door.

"Doing anything special with Mel?" she asked, leaning up against her car.

Chris shrugged, "Probably not," he unlocked his own car. "She hasn't left the couch since Len came by to get Jo."

Nyota nodded and picked up the bag from the roof of her car, "I made this for you two," she said, handing him the bag. "It's German chocolate, which I know is your favorite and Melanie cannot say no to chocolate."

"Thanks Ny,' he gave her a thankful smile. "Really."

She nodded, "Hopefully she'll be up to celebrating this Hallmark holiday," she pulled open her door. "Even if it ends up with you two eating cake and falling asleep."

They said their goodbyes, as they climbed into their cars. Chris waited for Nyota to pull out of the parking lot, before following after her. They headed down to the main light at the end of the street, before Nyota turned right, beeping her horn at him. Chris did the same and turned left, heading back to Melanie's house.

….

As soon as Chris left around noon for work, Melanie quickly got up off the couch and took a shower. She knew how disgusting she looked, because she could feel it. Her hair was greasy and her skin felt disgusting. She had been sitting in the same clothes since the day Leonard found out, and they desperately needed to be thrown in the washer.

The shower left her feeling slightly better, though she couldn't get rid of the sadness that filled her heart. It had been a week since last saw Jo, having no contact with her as Leonard took her to god only knows where. From what Jim told her, they'd moved into a tiny apartment across town, which was closer to her school. She also knew that Leonard was hardly speaking to anyone at work, except for Jim because Jim had threatened to call his lawyer as well.

"Just give him some time to calm down, Mel," Jim told her over breakfast the other day. "He's gotta get used to the fact that this a serious relationship and that he has no control over you anymore."

On top of her family issues, Melanie had forgotten that it was Valentine's Day. Luckily, Gaila had texted her that morning, sending her a picture of a dozen roses that Scotty had sent to her. She then realized how awful she'd been to Chris during the week, being difficult and ignoring him. He had been her rock during the whole ordeal, staying by her as she went crazy. She needed to snap out of it and show Chris how much she appreciated him and everything he'd done for her.

Running into her bedroom, Melanie ripped all the sheets and comforter off the bed and carried them down to the washroom. Putting new sheets and pillowcases down, Melanie retrieved the newer comforter from the closet and laid it across the bed. Once it was neat and satisfied her, Melanie cleaned up the bedroom and went downstairs to clean. By five-thirty, everything was spotless, showing no evidence that a twenty-seven year old woman had been wasting away for a week. Fuck Leonard, she thought. If he wanted to be a bastard and run away, then so be it. No more, would Melanie let him affect her relationship with the man she loved.

She knew the restaurant was closing an hour early today, giving her enough time to order take out and change into something sexier than flannel. At ten, Nyota texted to let her know that Chris was on his way home. Quickly setting the table up, Melanie kept her ears open for the sound of his car pulling into the driveway. She lit a few candles and grabbed a bottle of wine down from the cabinet, as soon as she heard a car door slam shut.

"Mel?" Chris called out, as he closed the front door. "I'm home."

Slowly, Melanie slipped out of the kitchen and stood in the hall. "Hi," she said softly, as he turned to look at her.

Dressed in a short black sheer robe, Chris could see the lacy undergarments underneath. "What's all this?" he asked, as she made her way over to him.

"I've been a really bad girlfriend," she said, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I'm sorry."

His arms went around her waist, "It's okay," he said, as she shook her head.

"No it's not," she sighed. "I don't want you to think that I don't appreciate what you've done for me, because I do."

Chris kissed her, "I know," he said softly.

Melanie smiled, "Happy Valentines Day."

He reached up to push a strand of hair away from her eyes, "Happy Valentines Day, Mel."

"Come," she stepped back, taking his hand into hers. "I ordered take out for us, considering that you've been cooking all day for other couples."

He snickered, "And, I have cake," he said, holding up the bag. "Nyota said you wouldn't turn down chocolate," he saw the sparkle in her eye. "And, she guessed right."

Melanie looked at him, " I don't know what I want first," she said, tapping her fingers together. "Chinese food, chocolate cake or you," she grinned playfully, licking her lips.

"How about, " he reached out for her again. "We eat, then play around for a while?" he asked, kissing her between the two options.

"What about cake?" she asked, as he kissed her again.

He chuckled, "We'll have cake. Don't worry."

…..

Jim knocked on the door for the third time, both annoyed and exhausted. He could hear voices behind the door, one trying to quiet the other as Jim knocked.

"Dammit Bones!" JIm shouted. "Open the door before I kick it down!"

A few seconds later, the door swung open and Leonard stood before him. "What do you want?" he asked, as Joanna raced around the tiny livingroom.

"Jim!" she shrieked, a smile lighting up her face as she ran towards the door.

Running past her father, Joanna latched herself to Jim's leg and looked up at him. "Are you here to be my Valentine?" she asked.

He chuckled, "Yes," he nodded, earing a scowl from Leonard. "I'm here to be your Valentine."

Joanna giggled and grabbed the end of his coat, "Move Daddy! Jim is my Valentine!"

Jim looked at him and shrugged, "You heard the little lady," he said, as Leonard rolled his eyes.

Moving aside, Leonard watched as Joanna pulled Jim into the apartment and closed the door behind them. "Why are you here, Jim?" he asked, as the younger man set a bag down on the old coffee table.

"I came here, "Jim started as he pulled his coat off, "Because I missed little Jo-bean and I wanted to see how you were doing."

"You saw me earlier at work," Leonard pointed out. "We're fine."

Jim rolled his eyes, "I saw you at work, yes. But I also had to make sure neither you or Chris did anything stupid that would land you in a pine box or jail."

"What's in here, Jim?" Joanna asked, peering into the bag. "CUPPYCAKES!"

"Shh, Joanna the neighbors," Leonard hissed, as she reached into the bag. "And it's a little late for sweets."

Jim pouted, "One cupcake wont kill her," he said.

Leonard glared at him, "I'm her father. I said no."

"But I'm her Valentine," Jim grinned. "My heart would break if she couldn't eat a sweet treat."

Joanna pouted, "Please Daddy! Pleaseeeeeee?" she wiggled around. "One cuppycake!"

Leonard huffed, "Fine," he rolled his eyes. "One cupcake and then it's off to bed! You have school tomorrow morning."

As Jim set a cupcake onto a napkin, Leonard went into the kitchen to get a glass of water for her. He came back in as Jim was sitting next to Jo on the couch, holding a napkin in his hand.

"Good lord, Jo," he chuckled, wiping the chocolate frosting off her face. "You are a messy Valentine."

She giggled, "Yum, yum, yum," she chanted, kicking her sock-clad feet about. "Did Miss Nyota make these cuppycakes?" she asked.

Jim nodded, "But I helped her with the frosting and sprinkles, "he said, taking the cupcake wrapper from her. "I am the icing king of baked goods."

Leonard came into the living room and handed Jo the cup of water, "You claim to be the king of everything, " he said, as Joanna took a small sip.

"That's because I am," Jim pointed out. "You on the other hand, are the king of grumps."

Joanna giggled and Jim turned to her, "And you," he lightly tickled her. "Are the princess of everything nice."

Leonard shook his head, "And now the princess needs to go to bed," he said, as she groaned. "Come on, missy. School tomorrow."

Sitting up, Joanna quickly wrapped her arms around Jim's neck and hugged him. "Thank you for being my Valentine," she said.

"Thank you for being mine, Jo-bean," he hugged her tightly. "Have fun at school tomorrow."

Joanna kissed his cheek, "I will," she said, before hopping off the sofa.

She ran to Leonard and took his hand, pulling him towards the tiny hallway that led to the bedrooms. "I'll be right back," Leonard said, pointing at him. "Don't go anywhere. We need to talk."

Jim nodded and watched as he scooped Joanna up into his arms, disappearing down the hall.

….

"You know, cake tastes SO much better after sex," Melanie announced, as she sat on the counter top in the kitchen. "I think it's the chocolate."

Chris chuckled as she shoved the fork back into her mouth, licking it clean of any chocolate left behind. "I think you're imagining things," he said. "But then again, you had a little too much wine."

Melanie shrugged, "Did I now?" she asked, grinning playfully. "And here I thought you fucked my brains out."

"Maybe I did," he frowned. "Do you remember what day it is? Or your birthday?" he asked.

"Ha, ha," she shook her head. "I remember everything, Chris. Which is surprising because for a moment I forgot my damn name."

Chris put the cake back into the box, "You have a filthy mouth," he said, bringing the cake to the refrigerator.

Melanie snorted, "That's not what you said before," she smiled; as he walked back over to her "I distinctly remember you saying how you liked my dirty mouth when it was wrapp-" he quickly covered her mouth with his hand.

Then with the other hand, Chris took the fork away from her and tossed it into the sink. "You need to be punished," he said, as he moved the plate away from her.

"Hmmm?" she licked the palm of his hand, her eyes sparking with playfulness and pleasure.

Chris then pulled her off the counter and set her down on the floor, "How ever shall you punish me?" she asked, nearly purring into his ear. "I've been very bad."

She yelped when his hand came down against her ass, leaving her cheek stinging. "Ow," she snorted, as he nipped at her jaw.

"Is that sufficient punishment?" his voice husky against her ear. "Or do you want something harsher?"

Melanie's hips pressed against his, "I don't care what you do, just fucking do me," she moaned, as his hands squeezed her ass. "NOW."

Chris hoisted her up into his arms and carried her towards the den, "Yes Ma'am."


	30. Chapter 30

A knock at the door startled Melanie, as she scanned through the reports that were dropped off early that morning.

"Come in!" she shouted, turning her attention to the laptop.

The door opened and she looked up, "Pavel?" she frowned. "What are you doing here?" she asked,

Pavel stood in the doorway of her office, fidgeting slightly. "I came to talk to you," he said, making her sigh. "It's not about your angry brother, if that's what you're worried about."

"Come in, come in," she waved at him. "Take a seat."

Closing the door behind him, Pavel made his way towards her desk and pulled his backpack off. Sitting down, he set the bag at his feet and looked around at her office.

"You have a lot of books," he said, eyeing the shelves. "Did you write them all?"

She laughed, "No," she shook her head. "But my boss really wants me too. I just don't have the time or patience at the moment to write six-hundred pages of my research."

Pavel nodded, "So, what can I do for you?" she asked.

"Well, Chris told me that you're a researcher," he started. "I was wondering if you could help me with something?"

Melanie folded her hands together and rested them on top of her notebook, "Well, it depends on what you need help with," she said. "If it's to assist you with a crime, I can't help you there."

Pavel shook his head, "No, no! It's nothing bad!" he exclaimed, making her laugh.

"I was kidding," she giggled. "Is it for school?"

He nodded, "I switched my major over the Christmas break," he started. "I decided to go into anthropology."

Melanie nodded, "Ah, I remember taking those classes," she sighed. "But I'm a historian, Pavel. Besides that, I hold a PhD in marine archaeology as well."

Pavel nodded enthusiastically, "That's why I came to you!" he exclaimed, quickly moving to his bag. "I'm taking this class about preserving marine archaeological sites."

She watched as he pulled a giant notebook, filled with loose pages, out of his bag. "Okay so like, the teacher is a total dick!" he blurted out.

Melanie snorted as he blushed, "Sorry," he apologized quickly. "But really, he is. The final paper has to be about an archeological site that we're going to cover in class."

"There's loads of them," she nodded. "Do you know what you're writing about?"

Pavel sighed, "That's the thing," he placed the notebook on the desk. "He already picked our topics out; I got Titanic."

She smiled, "And Chris said you're like a super genius when it comes to Titanic and it's sister ships," he looked at her. "He said I should come talk to you so you could point me in the right direction."

"Well Pavel," she smiled. "Let me see the assignment sheet."

Pavel quickly pulled paper out of the notebook and handed it to her, waiting patiently as she skimmed the guidelines.

"You're definitely getting an A on this paper and in this class," she said, standing up. "I hope you have enough room in that bag for books," she moved to the bookcase. "You've come to the right place."

….

"I just think it's so sweet that he came to me, asking for my help," Melanie cooed, a few hours later. "You should've seen the look on his face, Chris. I thought he was going to weep for joy."

Chris chuckled, "Did he tell you what happened when his parents found out about him changing his major?" he asked.

Melanie shook her head, "Well, they were pissed as hell! Called him up at work the other night, screaming in Russian about how he was ruining his life with a dull subject."

"That's terrible," she shook her head. "Pavel is a smart young man and he's really interested in what anthropology has to offer."

Chris nodded, moving the frying pan off the burner. "I know," he set the pan down on the counter. "A lot of the guys in that place are smarter than you'd think. Hikaru actually holds a PhD in biology, and went back to school for culinary when he couldn't get a researcher job in Ohio."

"Wow," she shook her head. "What about you? Are you secretly a PhD holder of something other than cooking?" she asked.

"As much as I enjoyed math and gym, food was my first love," he shrugged. "Ever since I was a kid I wanted to cook like a mad man, creating my own dishes to crowds of people."

Melanie snickered, "I can totally picture you in gym class, rocking the short shorts for basketball."

"They probably weren't any shorter then what you wore," he said, as she picked Callie up off the counter.

"I'll have you know, " she placed the cat down next to Claude. "I didn't have to take gym class in high school."

Chris looked up from the pepper he was slicing, "How the hell did you manage that? I thought it was mandatory?"

Melanie smirked, "I was too smart for gym class, "she shrugged. "My guidance counselor managed to put me in college level courses. How else did I get three PhD's at twenty-seven."

She then moved towards the hallway, "Besides, I've recently made up the four years of physical education in my bedroom!"

….

Melanie was back in the office early the next morning, regretfully leaving Chris in her warm bed. NYU and Colombia had been in constant contact with her since the New Year started, requesting her help on several research projects for the history and archeological departments. It was refreshing, having the opportunity to put her mind to work, as her family drama continued. Especially when Eleanor found out that her daughter was in a relationship with a much older man. The flooded email box was filled with messages of disappointment and slut shaming, which left Melanie shaking and furious.

It took the IT guy three days to set up her new email account through the University of Washington, the main force behind the tiny research facility in Seattle. But it didn't stop Melanie from home crying three nights in a row, when the emails continued to flood the former address as she waited for the new one. Shockingly, her father did call her to send his best wishes and apologies for what Eleanor was doing to her.

"If he makes you happy, darlin', that's all that matters," he told her, as she cried on the phone in her office. "I'm thinkin about coming out there for a week to see you and Len and little Jo. I promise, I won't bring your mother nor will I tell her that I'm coming. But I would love to meet the man who swept ya off your feet."

Her poor father, David, had no idea how bad things were between her and Leonard, and how it had been three weeks since she'd last seen Joanna. Maybe her father could make Leonard see how happy she was with Chris, ending the feud between the two of them.

"Mel are you gonna answer your damn phone?" Gaila shouted from across the hall. "That stupid ringtone is driving me up the fucking wall!"

So wrapped up in her work, Melanie didn't even realize that her phone was going off under the pile of papers. Keeping her eyes on the documents, Melanie pulled the phone out from under the paperwork and answered it, not even checking to see who was calling.

"Melanie McCoy here," she answered.

"I need you to watch Jo."

Melanie looked up from her work and blinked, "Excuse me?"

"I need you to watch, Jo," Leonard repeated again, sounding annoyed that he had to even ask her.

Melanie scoffed, "Welll hello to you too, Len," she set the papers down. "So nice of you to call."

Leonard sighed, "Look, can you watch her or not?" he snapped.

"Of course I can watch her! She's my fucking goddaughter!" she snapped back. "Where are you?" she asked.

"I'm in the car," he answered shortly. "Are you home or at work?"

Melanie rolled her eyes, "Work."

She could hear Joanna gibbering in the background, asking Leonard to talk on the phone. "I'll be there in five minutes," he said, before hanging up.

Pulling the phone away from her ear, Melanie hung up and sighed. "Fucking asshole," she muttered, standing up to get her coat. "I'll be right back, Gaila. My asshole of a brother is dropping Jo off."

"You want me to come with you?" she asked, looking up from her laptop.

Melanie shook her head, "I'll be fine," she gave her a brief smile. "Could you put on a pot of hot water so I can make her some hot chocolate?"

Gaila nodded, "Of course," she said, standing up. "I think we have a few of Nyota's chocolate chip cookies left over too."

"Thank you, Gaila," Melanie pulled her coat on. "I"ll be right back."

….

When Jo took off running, Melanie couldn't help but cry as she knelt down. "Hi baby," she cooed, picking her up off the ground. "Oh, I've missed you so much!"

"Aunt Mellie!" Joanna squealed, hugging her tightly.

Leonard came up to the front steps of the building, holding a bag in his hand. "Here's her homework a few books," he said, holding the bag out to her. "I have a meeting with the lawyers in Port Angeles."

Melanie nodded, "I'll bring her back to my place for lunch," she said. "Are you coming back late?"

"Most likely," he answered shortly. "Be a good girl, Jo."

Joanna nodded, "Bye Daddy," she waved to him, as he made his way back to the truck.

Melanie watched as he climbed back in, starting the engine up. Once the truck pulled away, Melanie turned her attention back to Joanna.

"How about we go inside and have some hot chocolate?" she asked. "Gaila is making some right now to go with Miss Nyota's cookies."

Joanna nodded and Melanie kissed her cheek, "I'm so happy to see you, Jo," she said, pulling the door open.

"Me too," Joanna hugged her again. "I don't like being away from you."

"Me either, Jo-bean," she sighed. "Me either."

…..

Joanna ate quietly at the kitchen table, as Melanie moved around to finish putting a salad together.

"Is everything alright, Jo?" she asked, glancing over at her niece. "Are your dinosaurs cold?"

She shook her head, "No, Mr. Chris made sure they were warm."

Chris set a basket of bread down on the table, "Do you want more juice?" he asked, nodding to her empty cup.

"Yes please," Joanna nodded, as Melanie sat down next to her.

"What's wrong, Jo?" she asked, running her fingers through her hair. "You look sad."

Joanna set her fork down on the dish, "Do I have to go home after dinner?" she asked, as Chris came back with the container of juice. "I don't want to leave again."

Melanie exchanged looks with Chris, "I don't know, Jo," she shrugged. "We'll have to see what Daddy is up to with his work in Port Angeles."

The little girl huffed, "I don't like the new house," she looked down at her dish. "The neighbors are mean and Daddy doesn't like having people over. He's always so mean to Jim when he comes by with cuppycakes and books."

Chris poured some juice into her cup, "Maybe Len could consider letting Jo stay over a few nights a week," he shrugged. "I didn't know that Jim was going over there."

Joanna looked up at him and nodded, "He was my Valentine," she smiled. "I like Jim. He's nice to me and Daddy, even though Daddy is mean to him."

Melanie shook her head, the feeling of anger running through her. "I like Jim too," she smiled softly "He's a nice guy and he loves you a lot."

"You're nice too," Joanna said, looking at Chris. "You make Aunt Mellie happy."

Chris sat down at the table, "I like you too, Jo," he smiled. "And your Aunt Mellie makes me happy too."

Joanna cocked her head to the side, "Are you two kissy friends?" she asked.

Melanie snorted as Chris chuckled, "Kissy friends?" he asked, as Joanna nodded.

"Yes! You two kiss and that makes you friends!" she glanced between the two of them. "Kissy friends!"

Chris looked at Melanie and smiled, "Yes Jo," he nodded. "Aunt Mellie and I are kissy friends."

Melanie blushed and kissed Joanna's head, "Finish eating your dinner," she said, standing up. "And then we can watch a movie."


	31. Chapter 31

"How's that homework coming along?" Melanie asked, as she carried a laundry basket into the kitchen.

Chris and Joanna looked up from the array of papers and books, "It's coming," he sighed, as Joanna went back to erasing her notebook. "Just a little trouble with the division."

She smiled, "I'm going to put this laundry away and then we can have ice cream."

They both nodded and Melanie went upstairs to her bedroom, putting the clean clothes into the dresser and closet. Setting the empty basket down on the chair, Melanie pulled her phone out and quickly sent a text to Leonard.

_Are you still coming to get Jo? Or do you want her to stay here for night?_

As she waited for his text, Melanie straightened up the bedroom; putting the dirty laundry- both hers and Chris's- into the basket. Ever since Leonard found out about their not-so-secret relationship and constantly spending the night at her house, Melanie told him to bring a few things to keep at her place. It had been several weeks since spent the night at his own place, only returning to pick up more clothes and to check his messages. Even Claude had a new sleeping spot, curling up with Callie in her tiny cat bed.

Picking up a pair of jeans off the floor, Melanie heard her phone going off with a new text. Dropping the jeans into the basket, Melanie opened the text from Leonard and read it quickly.

_Stuck in traffic. Jo can spend the night there- can you take her to school and pick her up after? Either me or Jim will come get her after work._

Melanie sighed, tempted to tell him off via- text about how ridiculous he was. But she couldn't risk losing any personal time with Joanna, having missed her for so long. She sent a quick text back, letting him know that she could take her to school and pick her up. Setting the phone back into her pocket, Melanie made her way back downstairs and into the kitchen.

"So, who's ready for ice cream?" she asked, as Chris double checked Joanna's homework.

"I say Miss Joanna deserves a big bowl of ice cream," he said, smiling at her. "You have a future math genius here."

Joanna wrinkled her nose, "I don't want to be a math genius!" she shook her head.

"You don't?" Chris asked, pouting. "Why not?"

"I don't like math," she shrugged. "I want to be a doggy doctor!"

Melanie snorted as she pulled the cartons of ice cream out of the freezer, "The last time she played doctor with Callie, I had to give her a bath to remove the glitter and glue," she shook her head. "Worst experience of my life."

Joanna giggled, "Callie was pretty, " she nodded. "Purple and blue!"

Chris chuckled, "Oh boy," he shook his head, standing up form the table. "Are you sure you want to be a animal doctor? You should be an artist."

He made his way over to the counter and helped Melanie with the ice cream, pulling the bowls down from the cabinet. "Did she really do that to Callie?" he whispered, as she pulled the top off a carton of mint chocolate chip ice cream.

Melanie nodded, "Took Callie two weeks to warm up to her again."

Chris turned his head and spotted both Callie and Claude sitting by the water dish, licking their paws and play fighting with one another. "I hope you locked the arts and crafts up," he said, as Melanie snickered. "I don't think Claude would be thrilled with any type of glitter on him."

…..

Nyota sighed as she logged out of the face time network, setting the Ipad down on the coffee table. For the last hour and a half, she and Spock chatted over nothing. Every since he left after New Years Nyota had been missing him deeply, counting down the days when she would see him again.

She knew that Jim wasn't please with him, calling him a hipster behind his back. Leonard was slightly rude to him at the party, but then again, that was how Leonard was all the time. The others were polite, because it was a friend of Nyota's and no body wanted to piss her off. Luckily, Melanie, Gaila, Scotty and Chris took a liking to him. Even Joanna, who had a conversation about dinosaurs with him for a full hour, before she had to use the bathroom.

Usually, Nyota wouldn't allow herself to be this hung up on a man, putting time aside to face time every other night. By now she would've slept with Spock after one date, and he would be a thing of the past. But there was something different about the Vegan from Canada, pulling Nyota further and further into captivity. He was gorgeous in her eyes; tall and stoic, with dark eyes and skin as white as marble. To her, Spock was like a piece of artwork; a piece that she couldn't take her eyes off of.

With a sigh, Nyota pushed herself up off the sofa and made her way into the kitchen, turning the lights on as she went. There was only one way to calm her nerves down, as she started pulling the necessary items out of cabinet to make a batch of cupcakes.

…..

Melanie took one last look into the bedroom, before closing the door behind her quietly.

"Is she asleep?" Chris whispered, as he leaned against the wall across from her.

She nodded, "Finally," she sighed. "I had to finish three chapters of her book, so she could pass out."

He snickered, "Bribery?" he asked. "No, Joanna would never."

Melanie moved across the short distance from the door to him, stopping to stand in front of him. "When Joanna wants something," she started, as he wrapped his arms around her waist. "She get's it. No if, ands or buts."

"Well," he moved away from the wall, backing her up a bit so they were standing in the middle of the hallway. "What can _I _do to get you into that comfy bed and under those covers?" he grinned wickedly.

"Hmmm," she pondered. "I could think of a few things."

Chris lifted her up, making her yelp, tossing her over his shoulder. "Chris!" she giggled, "Don't drop me!"

"I would never do such a thing," he shook his head, as he carried her down the hall to her bedroom.

"Says the man who knocked my head into the doorframe while carrying me in this exact position," she grunted, as he carried her though the bedroom door.

Chris walked over to the bed and tossed her down onto the mattress, before climbing on top of her. "In my defense," he rested his hands on either side of her head. "We were drunk and you kept wiggling around."

Melanie pouted, "You knocked me out for five minutes," she exclaimed.

"More like five seconds," he corrected her, before placing a kiss on her lips.

"I had a massive headache for the entire day after that!" she huffed, as his hands went under her shirt. "And don't act like you weren't freaking out when you realized I was unconscious!"

He sucked her neck, "I was," he murmured against her tingling skin. "But you were fine and we went on with our business."

Melanie moaned, "You're lucky that I enjoy looking at you," she bit her lip as his fingers moved towards her bra. "Otherwise I would've ended it right then and there."

Chris sat up and yanked her shirt up and over her head, "I'll keep that in mind the next time I accidently knock your head into something," he kissed her. "Now, are we going to talk or actually do something?"

Grabbing the front of his shirt, Melanie pulled him down for a kiss. "Does that answer your question?" she whispered, earning a nod from him. "Good."

….

When Leonard arrived shortly after work the next night, Joanna was asleep on the sofa. Melanie made sure she was fed, bathed and dressed in her pajamas, before he arrived, figuring it would make things a little easier for him when he got her home. Not that he deserved to have anything easy at the moment.

"She did all her homework after dinner and we started on a book report that's due Friday," she informed him, as he carefully placed her in the truck.

Leonard nodded and took the bag from her, placing it in the front seat. Once the door was closed, he turned around to look at her.

"Well," she shoved her hands into her coat pockets. "I'd like to ask you something about Jo."

He nodded, "While I don't mind watching her when you have work or other matters to attend to," she started. "It would be nice if you could warn me before hand, instead of five minutes before your arrival that she needs to be watched. I have a job Len and I need to make sure that I can be home to watch her."

"Fine, I'll make sure you're not too busy to watch your niece," he huffed, moving to walk around the truck.

"Leonard!" she snapped. "That's not what I mean and you know it."

He stopped and turned around, "Well what the hell do you want then?" he snapped back.

Melanie glared at him, "I would like to pick her up form school and bring her home for dinner and homework," she stated. "And I would like to have at least two to three nights where she can spend the night here."

Leonard sighed, "Fine," he grunted. "I'll call you tomorrow to set something up, alright?"

She nodded, "Thank you, Len," she said, looking at him. "All I ask is that if we can't go back to how things were before, can we at least try to be civil towards each other for Joanna's sake? She's young and it's not fair to her, that she shouldn't be subjected to hostility. You can hate me for as long as you want, but I ask that you not do it in front of her."

He pulled the keys to the truck out of his pocket, "Well, you should've thought of that before you went and fucked Chris behind my back," he shrugged.

Melanie watched in disbelief as he went to the driver's side of the truck, pulling the door open. "You know," he paused, keeping his eyes on the door. "I can deal with Jocelyn being a liar and hiding things behind my back," he shook his head, turning his gaze on her. "But you? My sister? I can't even stand to look at you."

She swallowed, "Well, you're doing it now," she shot back.

"I'm doing it for my daughter," he pulled the door open. "Like you said, she's young and shouldn't be subjected to public acknowledgements of hatred."

He then climbed into the truck, slamming the door shut behind him. Melanie moved to the pathway, as he put the truck in reverse, backing out of the driveway quickly. The truck roared down the block, before turning at the corner, disappearing into the night. Shaking her head, Melanie stormed up the front steps and into the house, slamming the door shut behind her.

Chris was coming down the stairs, rubbing a towel through his hair. He looked up as she yanked her jacket off, throwing it over the back of the couch.

"I take it that he reacted badly?" he asked, as she kicked her boots off.

"Badly?" she snorted. "More like I wish I smashed a shovel across his fucking head," she stormed into the kitchen.

Chris slowly followed her, watching as she grabbed a bottle of beer out of the fridge. Melanie yanked at the cap, unable to open it as quickly as Chris could.

"Fucking bastard," she muttered, using the hem of her shirt to twist the cap off. "Fucking motherfucker, goddamn son of a bitch!"

Setting the towel on the back of the chair, Chris moved forward and took the bottle from her. Melanie watched as he easily twisted the cap off, tossing it into the sink, before handing the bottle to her.

" Thanks," she sighed, taking a quick sip. "Ugh, this is disgusting. It's not even cold!"

He snorted, "That's because I put it in the fridge a few minutes ago, while you took Jo outside."

Melanie set the bottle down on the counter and sighed, "I shouldn't let him get to me like this," she shook her head. "Whenever I look at him, I just want to smash his fucking face in."

Chris winced, "Now, that's not the Melanie I know and love very much," he said, wrapping his arms around her waist. "You have to relax, Mel. Give it time and he will calm down enough to the point, where you will calm down as well."

She groaned, "I honestly wouldn't care if we ever spoke again," she mumbled. "As long as I can see Jo."

He hugged her tightly, "You know you don't mean that," he said. "He loves you and you love him, even though you two are the biggest suborn pains in the asses I've ever met."

Melanie snorted, "I resent that."

"It's true thought," he shrugged. "Seriously Mel, just take this time to cool down and let him do his thing."

She looked up at him and nodded, "I know,' she sighed. "God, why are you always right?"

"Because I'm older, therefore I've attained more knowledge than you?" he offered, grinning.

Melanie rolled her eyes, "Mary was right," she gave him a light shove. "You're ego is massive."

Chris chuckled, "Thank god," he shook his head. "Now lets lock up and go to bed," he kissed her. "I'm exhausted and you need to lay down and relax."

She nodded "Okay," and pushed away from the counter.

Before he could walk away, Melanie pulled him back towards her and in for a kiss. When they pulled apart, she rested her head against his shoulder. "I love you."

Chris hugged her tightly, "I love you, too," he said, kissing the side of her head. "Come on, let's go to bed."

Once all the doors were locked and the lights put out, Melanie and Chris made their way upstairs and into the bedroom. Once their nightly rituals were done, the couple curled up under the blankets and wrapped themselves around each other. Melanie didn't realize how exhausted she was, until her head hit the pillow and Chris wrapped his arm around her waist. This feud was taking a toll on them both, putting the first set of cracks into the foundation of their relationship. Melanie realized, as her eyes drifted shut, that eventually there would be a breaking point. And when that day came, nothing would be the same again.


	32. Chapter 32

**Just want to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving! :D**

Melanie shifted the sheets of paper that covered her kitchen table, moving a pen over the scribble that covered every inch.

"Does that say," she squinted at the handwriting. "I fucking hate this class?" she frowned.

Pavel blushed and took the paper from her, "I was getting frustrated," he shrugged. "The professor doesn't even speak proper English."

Four weeks into the semester, Pavel was struggling. Going from scoring A's and high numerical grades on his papers and exams in his former major, he was up every single night til four, trying to get readings and papers done.

"It's going to take some time, "Melanie sighed. "You went from not having to study excessively and taking tons of notes, to shoving your face in a textbook."

Pavel groaned, "I just don't like history. It's so fucking boring," he looked at her. "Sorry, but it is."

Melanie shrugged, "It's not for everyone," she said, pulling one of his textbooks closer. "How about we start with the easy stuff? It says the first part of the test is fill in the blank, so I'll shoot out some questions and you'll fill in the blank."

He sighed, "I'm going to fail."

"You won't fail, "she rolled her eyes. "Now, when was the Third Reich established and who was the leader?

….

"Do you think Aunt Mellie will like peanut butter and jelly?" Joanna asked.

Chris looked up in the rearview mirror, "I think so," he shrugged, as Joanna fiddled around in the backseat. "How could anyone not like peanut butter and jelly?" he asked.

Joanna shrugged, "I never seen her eat it."

While Pavel and Melanie were in the middle of a study session, Chris offered to take Joanna to the grocery store, in order to keep the six year old out of their way. Since Leonard went on another important meeting with his divorce lawyer- this time in Los Angles- Melanie had Joanna for the entire week.

"Well, I guess we'll find out," he said, making her giggle. "What else should we have for lunch?"

Joanna thought for a moment, "Pizza!" she finally yelled out.

Chris chuckled, "Pizza?" he asked. "With peanut butter and jelly? You're tummy is going to hurt a lot, Jo."

"Nuh uhh!" she shook her head. "Then we can eat ice cream for dinner!"

Chris turned the car down Melanie's block, "How about something hot for dinner?" he asked, pulling into the driveway. "Like chicken?"

"Ew, Aunt Mellie doesn't know how to make chicken," she frowned. "She always leaves it cold."

Cutting the engine, Chris climbed out fo the car and moved around to the other side, pulling the door open for Joanna. "What do you mean she leaves it cold?" he asked, helping her with the seatbelt.

Joanna scooted across the seat and out of the car with is help, "IT comes out pink and icky."

Closing the door, they moved to the back of the car, popping the trunk open. "You mean raw?" he asked, taking a bag of bread for her. "That's not good."

She shook her head, "Daddy yelled at her one time, saying she was going to make us sick with tummy bugs."

He grabbed the rest of the bags and closed the trunk, motioning for Joanna to start walking up the front steps. "He yells a lot, huh?" he asked, as they walked.

Joanna nodded as she went up the front steps to the porch, moving to the side so Chris could unlock the door. "Do you think my Daddy and Aunt Mellie will ever be nice to each other again?" she asked.

Chris set the bags down and knelt before her, "I don't know, Jo," he said softly. "Maybe one day they'll be nice to each other."

She nodded, "I don't like living in the new place," she said quietly. "I miss living here all the time."

"Aunt Mellie misses having you here all the time, too," he tugged at the end of her hat. "Don't worry Jo. One day, everything will be fine between them."

"Okay," she sighed. "Can we eat now?"

He chuckled and stood up, "Come on," he unlocked the door. "Let's get you inside and fed."

Grabbing the bags off the ground, Chris and Joanna headed inside the house.

"Aunt Mellie!?" Joanna shouted, as she ran down the hall. "We gots food!"

Chris shut the front door with his foot and slowly followed her, laughing as Melanie praised Joanna for taking care of the bread.

"Look at that, Pavel," Melanie held up the loaf of wheat bread. "We have bread!"

Pavel pretended to be surprised, making Joanna giggle. "Bread!" he exclaimed. "The most important part of a meal!"

Chris snorted as he moved past the table, "Took us ten minutes to pick on," he said, setting the bags down. "Right Jo?"

Joanna blushed, "I forgot which bread you buy," she said, as Melanie stood up.

"You did a good job, Jo-bean," she said, ruffling her hair. "How about we take a break and eat some lunch?"

Pavel quickly closed his notebook, "Break!"

Joanna giggled as Melanie rolled her eyes, "Don't get too excited, Pavel," she started towards the counter. "As soon as lunch is over, it's back to studying."

He groaned as Joanna asked what he was studying for, staring at him with wide eyes. Melanie shook her head and moved to the counter, wrapping her arms around Chris.

"I take it you two had an adventure," she said, moving around to stand beside him. "She didn't drive you too crazy, did she?"

Chris kissed her, "She was very good," he smiled. "Knew exactly what she wanted and told me when I put something wrong in the cart."

Melanie snorted, "You let a six year old dictate your shopping?" she asked. "My goodness, I'm surprised she didn't throw junk food in the cart," she said, looking through the bags.

"That's because Nyota is making a surprise for her later," he pulled the boxes of rice and pasta out of the bag. "A big batch of cookies and those cake pop things."

Moving to the fridge with the bag of perishables, Melanie opened the door and started putting them in. "Why?" she asked.

Chris shrugged, "Said she needed to bake," he sighed. "I guess something happened with that guy."

"Spock?" Melanie asked. "I thought she was going out there to visit him next week?

"I don't know, Mel," he tossed the empty bags into the box on the floor. "There are certain things I don't need to know. Especially girl talk things."

She snorted, "Understood," she nodded, before turning her attention to Pavel and Joanna. "Okay, who's hungry."

…..

Jim tossed the remains of the pineapple into the trash and picked up the knife, slicing the fruit up. Hikaru stepped into the kitchen and stopped, watching as Jim worked.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Making fruit salad," Jim glanced over at him. "Do you think I should put kiwi in this?"

Hikaru moved the refrigerator, "Kiwi's are a pain in the ass," he said, pushing the bottles of juice and containers filled with leftovers around. "Worst fruit ever."

Jim snorted, "How's the application process going?"

Hikaru moved to stand by him, plucking a piece of mango out of the bowl. "Hardly going at all," he shrugged. "I think I'm crazy. Why the hell am I attempting to go back to school for another degree?"

"Because you're smart?" Jim offered, sliding the sliced pineapple off the cutting board and into the bowl. "Because you know and I know that cooking really isn't your first love."

"It's just," Hikaru shrugged. "I just finished paying off my loans from UCLA and I'm still paying back the loans for Starfleet. To take on more debt is fucking crazy."

Jim turned and looked at him, "Hikaru, I think you should go back to school and try to get into the medical program."

"You think so?" he asked.

"Dude, you'll make a great doctor!" Jim exclaimed. "And it's not because you're an Asian and shit!"

Hikaru snorted and Jim continued, "Look, I know you love cooking. And you're good at it, too," he shrugged. "But I know how hard it was when you couldn't get a job with the bio degree under your belt. Going back is what you need to do."

"You think so?" Hikaru asked.

"Yes," Jim nodded. "Besides, once you become a doctor you'll have a shitload of chicks after you."

Hikaru rolled his eyes as Jim snickered, "Chicks love the doctor type."

"I'm not becoming a doctor to get chicks!" Hikaru shook his head.

Jim laughed, "Fine," he sliced the remaining pieces of the pineapple. "Can I be a patient? Is that even allowed? Being a patient of your best friend who's a doctor?

Hikaru snorted, "Of course I'll be your doctor," he shook his head. "With your list of allergies, no one else would want to take you on."

The blonde smiled, "Oh Hikaru," he shook his head. "Your concern for my health just makes my heart swell."

"Shut up and finish that," he nodded to the bowl. "I expect a plate waiting for me when I return."

….

Chris moved down the stairs quietly, having put Joanna to bed only ten minutes earlier. He moved across the living room and into the kitchen, stopping in the doorway. At the table, Pavel and Melanie were surrounded by papers and books, their heads down and silent. It was late, a little after one, and it was apparent that study time was over for the day.

Quietly, Chris moved to Pavel and lightly shook his shoulder. The younger man woke up with a jolt, sitting up quickly.

"Wha?" he grunted, looking around the room.

"Shhh," Chris held a finger to his mouth.

Pavel nodded and squinted down at his watch, "Oh man," he whispered. "I better get going."

Chris shook his head, "You can stay in the guestroom," he nodded. "Melanie would kill me if I let you drive off half asleep."

"Really?" he asked, as Chris nodded. "Okay, I'll stay."

It took less than ten minutes to set Pavel up in the guestroom downstairs, making sure the sheets were fresh and the heat was on. Once Pavel assured him that he would be fine, kicking off his shoes in the process, Pavel tumbled face first into the pillows and passed out. Chris chuckled as he pulled the heavy blanket over him, before shutting the lights off.

Making his way back into the kitchen, Chris gently shook Melanie's shoulder. "Mel? Honey?"

She woke up with a jolt, lifting her head up from the book. "What? What happened?" she asked, looking around the room with bleary eyes.

Chris chuckled as he pulled the post-it note that stuck to the side of her head, "Time for bed."

"Hmmmm, where's Pavel?" she asked, as Chris carefully pulled her up from the chair. "Did he go home?"

"I put him in the guestroom," he said, scooping her up into his arms. "You guys can study tomorrow."

Melanie yawned and nodded, "Okay."

Chris carried her through the house and up the stairs, holding onto her tightly while using one hand to hold the bannister. Once they were in her room, Chris carefully set her down on the bed and pulled the blankets back.

"Is Joanna asleep?" she asked, lying down.

He nodded, "Took six chapters of her book, but she's asleep," he said, moving to lie down next to her.

Melanie gave him a sleepy smile as she rested her head against the pillow, "You'll make a great dad someday," she said quietly.

Chris gently wrapped his arm around Melanie's waist as her eyes close, succumbing to unconsciousness. Placing a soft kiss on her forehead, Chris laid back against the pillows and closed his eyes.


	33. Chapter 33

**Hope everyone is having a great Thanksgiving! **

March rolled into April, bringing rain and snow with it. The first week of the month went by in a flash, as everyone geared up towards Easter and spring break. Around this time, Chris knew his annual two-week vacation from _Yorktown, _was coming up. Since Melanie had a light schedule at work, having sent all her updated research back in March, Chris brought up the idea of the two of them going away.

"Somewhere warm," he promised, when she asked what he had in mind.

So they settled on the Puerto Rico, and booked a flight to leave April tenth in the early morning hours. Melanie managed to work something out with Leonard, in regards to Joanna. Since Jim would be covering for Chris, Gaila took up on the babysitting job. And since Gaila was spending a lot of time at Scotty's apartment, Melanie knew that Joanna would be safe. She was practically attached to Pavel, along with Jim, ever since Melanie began tutoring him.

Leonard grumbled and made a few comments about Melanie's upcoming vacation, reluctantly giving Gaila permission to watch his daughter as he worked. While things were still bitter between the McCoy siblings, they managed to communicate when it came to Joanna and schedule conflicts with work. He was still pissed about the Chris and dating situation, making no attempt to talk to Chris at work or when he dropped Joanna of at the house. But Melanie didn't care, as long as Joanna came to her house happy and left with a smile on her face.

…..

"Would you stop moping around?" Jim snapped, as Joanna shoved her hand into the bowl of popcorn. "I am getting so sick of looking at your face these days."

Leonard rolled his eyes; "I could say the same about you, kid."

Jim ruffled Joanna's hair and started the DVD, nodding his head towards the doorway. Leonard followed, stepping into the freshly cleaned kitchen in Jim and Hikaru's apartment.

"Look, I get that you're pissed off at your sister and Chris," Jim started, earning an huff from the older man. "But you need to cut this out now!"

"Cut what out?" Leonard asked.

Jim sighed, "They went on vacation together, Bones. Ain't nothin' you can do about it."

"Of course there's nothin' I can do about it!" Leonard snapped. "They're already there!"

Jim groaned, "Look, I invited you two over to hang out," he grabbed the empty bowl out of the dish rack. "Not to be the only adult here enjoying the damn movie, while you sit and sulk like a diva in the corner."

Leonard watched as Jim opened a bag of tortilla chips, dumping half the bag into the bowl. "Sorry," he finally sighed. "I just.. it still bothers me."

Jim snorted as he unscrewed the cap to the salsa jar, "You think?" he asked, looking over at him. "Can you just for today, forget the fact that your sister is happy? I mean, Jo keeps saying how much she misses you being happy for fucks sake. Six year olds aren't supposed to be miserable, Bones."

"I can do that," Leonard nodded, grabbing the bowl of chips off the counter. "Get the beer and I'll meet you in the living room."

Watching him leave, Jim smiled to himself, before moving to the refrigerator to snag the two bottles of beer off the shelf. "Hurry Jim! The movie is starting!" Joanna yelled from the couch.

Grabbing the jar of salsa in his free hand, Jim quickly moved across the kitchen. "Coming!" he shouted, as the opening credits to _Brave _started up.

…..

Melanie sighed, digging her toes into the sand. It was their first night in the Puerto Rico, taking a long flight from Seattle straight through the country and onto the island. By the time they arrived, it was a little after four in the afternoon, and the jet lag started to take over. They took a shuttle bus from the airport to the St. Regis Baha Beach resort, signing in and moving their bags into the oceanfront room that Chris booked.

After quick showers, they changed and headed down to the beach as the sun started to set, walking along the shore. Melanie managed to capture the sunset on her phone, sending the pictures to their friends back in rainy Seattle, before Chris pulled her along the beach.

"Ready to eat?" he asked, as they started back up to the hotel.

"Si," she nodded, getting a laugh out of him. "Very hungry."

They continued up the beach, before hitting the wooden steps that led up to the resort. Melanie dropped her flip flops on the ground and slipped her feet into them, before they took off again. That night, they decided to eat at one of the hotels restaurants. Seagrapes was and outdoors dining adventure, overlooking the beach of Bahia. It was laidback, with the pool nearby. They had two weeks on the island, with many opportunities for romantic candlelight dinners for two. The important thing at that moment was getting food into the stomachs and maybe a drink or two.

Melanie took a sip of her iced tea, watching as a group of little girls ran from the pool to their table, "It's so nice here."

She settled against Chris's side, as they watched the inhabitants of the hotel filter about, moving in and out of the restaurant. A cool breeze from the ocean came through, as the temperature dropped a from the high eighties to the low seventies.

"It's peaceful," he nodded, wrapping his arm around her. "I'm happy you came with me."

She smiled, "I'm happy you asked me," she nodded. "Besides, I wouldn't let you travel to a tropical island all alone to begin with."

Chris chuckled, "You wouldn't?" he asked, as she sat up.

"A good looking man as yourself? I would be worried of all the ladies throwing themselves at you."

He pulled her in for a kiss, "The feeling is mutual," he grinned against her lips.

"Better be," she whispered, as the waitress came with their meals. "Oh look, food!" she licked her lips.

Chris thanked the woman in Spanish, as she took their orders for drink refills, before shuffling away.

"You know Spanish?" Melanie asked, unwrapping her silverware. "What else having you been hiding from me, Mr. Pike?"

"I'm really a con-man?" he asked, giving her an innocent look.

She snorted, "Well, you're a very good con-man then," she re-arranged the chicken sandwich on her dish. "You've successfully stolen my heart."

Chris groaned at her corny joke, while she snickered, proud of herself. "That was pretty corny," he said, as she nodded.

"I know," she took a bite. "That's why I'm laughing."

…..

Gaila shook out the blanket over the bed, before smoothing down the corners under the pillows. Having arrived home early from the office, she made a quick stop at the store and her place, before heading to Scotty's for the night. While she was no chef, Gaila knew a few things when it came to cooking. So, she decided to make oven-roasted chicken, baked potatoes and mixed vegetables for her and Scotty. Pavel was out for the night, studying with a friend for midterms, leaving the apartment for the couple.

So she went to work, cleaning the living room, dining room and even Scotty's bedroom. She threw away the garbage and shoved all the dirty laundry into the washer (while wearing rubber gloves of course), and remade the bed. Now, as it was nearing ten-thirty, Gaila was just about done with the bed. The chicken and potatoes were still in the oven, the only way to keep warm, while the bag of frozen vegetables sat in the freezer.

"Pavel? Are you home?" Scotty's voice rang out through the apartment, ten minutes later.

Gaila quietly stepped out of the bedroom and made her way down the hall, walking into the kitchen.

"Surprise," she smiled.

Scotty beamed, "What are yeh doin' here, lass?" he asked, as she came over to kiss him. "Ah though yeh had work?"

Gaila wrapped her arms around his neck, "Decided to leave a bit early, "she shrugged. "I wanted to see you and make you dinner."

He gave her a surprised look, "Yeh cooked?" he asked, as she nodded.

"Uh huh. Chicken, potatoes and vegetables, which need to be put in the microwave."

Scotty smiled and kissed her, "Yer too good for me, Gaila," he shook his head.

She gave him a small smile, "You're too good for me, Scotty," she shook her head. "I don't know what I ever did to deserve such kindness and love from you."

"Fate, love," he brushed a loose strand of hair away from her face. "Yeh deserve everythin'."

Gaila giggled, "Come on, Romeo," she pulled away. "I know you have something fancy in your liquor collection that we can have tonight," she moved to the oven. "I'll get this up and throw the vegetables into the microwave."

Scotty grinned, "Ah think ah know exactly what we can have tonight," he pulled his jacket off, moving into the living room.

"I also know what we're having AFTER dinner," she called after him. "You better be a good boy and bring something yummy."

Scotty's laughter rang through the apartment and Gaila felt her heart swell, unable to comprehend how lucky she'd gotten over the last five months.

…

Chris moved stepped back into the bedroom, pulling the sliding door shut behind him. Making sure the door was locked; he pulled the curtains shut, as Melanie stepped out of the bathroom.

"I hope that bed is as comfortable as it looks," she dropped her clothes onto the chair.

He turned his attention from the shades and watched as she jumped onto the end of the bed, crawling up towards the pillows. Instead of the usual flannel bottoms and shirt, Melanie was sporting a very short nightie in a pale pink shade. Pulling the shades closed quickly, Chris stepped away from the door and moved towards he bed.

"Look at you," he murmured, as Melanie fixed the pillows. "You look like a piece of cotton candy."

She looked over at him as he climbed up onto the bed, snickering. "Do I now?" she asked, flopping onto her back. "Wanna bite?" she asked, holding her arm up to him.

He leaned in ready to bite, when his hands shot out and reached her sides. Melanie squealed, bucking up as he tickled her.

"S-stop!" she snorted, as he straddled her hips. "I c-can't breathe!"

Chris slowed the tickling down, relaxing his grip on her sides as she twisted underneath him. "You're a tease."

She giggled, "Thank you," she grinned. "Do you like my outfit?"

He watched as she lightly smoothed the front of her nightie down with her hands, before placing them on his thighs. "It's very," his eyes roamed her body. "Sheer."

"Good," she smirked. "It's supposed to be."

"Will it still be sheer," he started, moving his hands up under the flimsy material. "In a pile on the floor?"

Melanie smiled, "I don't know," she shrugged, lifting her arms up over her head. "Guess you'll have to find out."


	34. Chapter 34

Melanie wrapped the towel around her tightly as she stepped out of the shower, carefully making her way over to the sink. Wiping the condensation of the mirror, she picked up the brush and ran in through her hair.

"Got all the sand out?" Chris asked, peeking into the bathroom.

She glared at him, "Most of it," she responded frostily, as he made his way into the bathroom.

Chris wrapped his arms around her waist, pressing a tender kiss against her shoulder. "I'm sorry for tossing you into a sandbank," he said. "Forgive me?"

He pouted at her, which turned her into a mess because he looked so cute when he did it. Her lips twitched, as she fought the urge to smile. Chris noticed and grinned against her shoulder, his arms tightening around her waist.

"I forgive you," she answered. "But I would sleep with one eye opened if I were you."

Chris chuckled as she tried to put on her best mean face on, which she failed miserably. "I'll make sure to do that," he nodded. "What do you want to do today? I take it you don't want to go back to the beach?"

"No beach," she shook her head. "How about we go for a walk?"

He nodded, "That sounds good," he said. "Then we'll have lunch and come back here to relax."

Melanie turned her head and kissed him, "Give me twenty minutes and we can go."

Chris nodded, "Take your time," he pressed one more kiss to her shoulder. "I wont go anywhere."

Picking up the hairdryer, Melanie plugged it into the outlet and grabbed the hairbrush. "You better not!" she yelled out, earning a chuckle from him.

…..

Hikaru sighed as he pushed the chair back from the desk, running his fingers through his hair. He had received another letter from one of the many universities he'd applied to. Another rejection letter; this time from _UNC-Chapel Hill. _Four days ago, he received rejections from _UPenn, Harvard University, _and _Yale. _By now, he was ready to give up. He had yet to hear from _Stanford and John Hopkins, _the only two schools he had his heart set out for. But at this point, Hikaru knew that rejection would come.

They probably figured he was crazy, a twenty-nine year old applying for undergraduate classes in the pre-med field. Why would they ever let an old guy like him into the program, when the baby faced, fresh out of high school kids had the stamina and rich parents to pay for their tuition? It was time to give up; medical school would never happen.

"Hikaru! Hikaru!"

He quickly shoved the rejection letter under a stack of library books, before turning around. Joanna came running into his room, knocking into his legs with a grunt.

"Whoa!" he yelped, as Joanna scrambled up into his lap. "Where's the fire?"

Joanna huffed, pushing her tangled hair away from her face. "Jim is trying to brush my hair," she pouted.

He snorted, "He's done such a lovely job," he noted, tugging lightly at her hair.

A few seconds later, Jim was standing in the doorway of the room, holding a hair brush in his hands. "Oh there you are!" he exclaimed, stepping into the room. "Jo-Jo, we need to fix your hair!"

Joanna shook her head, "No! It hurts!" she yelled, burying her face into Hikaru's shoulder. "No touch!"

Jim wilted at the rejection, his shoulders sinking forward and Joanna hid from him. HIkaru sighed, "How about we both brush your hair?" he suggested, as Joanna lifted her head up to look at him. "I'll take one side and Jim will take the other."

"Will you be gentle?" she whispered.

Hikaru nodded, "Of course we will."

Ten minutes later, Jim and Hikaru found themselves sitting on the edge of his bed, hair brushes in hand, while Joanna sat between them.

"I don't know how you talked me into this," Jim said, as he carefully ran the brush through the tangled mess.

Joanna giggled as she made her bear dance, turning him around on his stumpy feet. Jim smiled as she played, before turning his attention back to the task at hand.

"Would you rather do this alone and have her cry?" Hikaru asked. "I'm sure McCoy would LOVE to hear about you making her cry."

He shuddered, "Nah, I'll skip Bones' bellowing," he ran his fingers through the untangled mass.

Hikaru sighed, "What do you think he's doing?" he asked. "I mean, there's no way he's going to all these places to see his "lawyer." "

Jim frowned, "What do you mean?" he asked. "What else could he be doing?"

"He's probably got a secret lover himself," HIkaru snorted.

JIm rolled his eyes, "No way," he shook his head. "Bones said his ex-wife was making shit difficult for the proceedings to continue. Something about spousal support and custody."

"Yeah, yeah," Hikaru shrugged. "I still think he's getting it on with someone."

"Shut up!" Jim hissed, before blushing. "I don't want Jo to hear this," he whispered, nodding his head to the six-year-old between them.

With no more talk about Leonard and secret lovers, Hikaru and Jim went back to work. But Jim couldn't help the awful feeling of dread, washing over him as he pictured Leonard in the arms of a woman.

….

Nyota slammed the door to her refrigerator and dropped the package of butter onto the counter.

"Hey easy!" Gaila scolded, as Nyota began to rip the paper furiously. "That butter was expensive!"

"Oh fuck the goddamn butter!" Nyota snapped, as she dropped the stick into the mixer. "Fuck everything that has to do with baking and, and… SHIT!"

Gaila frowned, "What the hell's wrong with you?" she asked, setting the measuring cup down. "You like to bake."

Nyota rolled her eyes, "I do," she snapped. "I'm just in a bad mood right now."

"I can see that," Gaila sighed. "What's going on?"

Locking the top of the mixer, Nyota turned it on and watched as the mixer began to churn the butter. "Fucking Spock missed our vid-chat last night."

"Oh."

"Yeah, OH! Big fucking OH, considering the fact that he's been acting all weird since he left after New Years."

Gaila moved around the counter and wrapped her arm around Nyota, "Hon, maybe he's busy with work."

Nyota snorted, "Please," she rolled her eyes. "I work crazy hours too, but you don't see me ignoring my friends!"

"Maybe you should send him an email?" Gaila offered. "I mean, if he's busy with work related things an email might be easier for him to respond to."

"I just don't care anymore," Nyota shook her head, snatching the bowl of egg whites. "If Spock wants to avoid all my calls and talking to me at all, then fuck him!"

Gaila watched as Nyota furiously dumped the egg whites into the butter, tossing the bowl into the sink. She stepped back as the baker went, measuring out flour, sugar, salt and other ingredients for the batch of cookies she wanted to make. Gaila sighed and went to the table, sitting down on the chair. If Nyota couldn't get her friend to communicate, then she would have to do the dirty work. No one rejected Nyota Uhura and got away with it.


	35. Chapter 35

The thunder rolled as the rain slammed against the windows, darkening the room even more. Melanie shivered and burrowed deeper under the blankets. She felt an arm tighten around her waist, making her smile in her sleep. Day three on their vacation, Chris and Melanie woke up to the sound of thunder rolling in the distance. When their breakfast came, the hotel employee suggested they stay indoors for the first half of the day.

"The weather station insists that this is a serious storm," he gave them a nod. "Please, do not go outside until the storm has passed."

So they ate at the small table in the sitting room, before moving to the bedroom to watch television. They caught up on the news back home before Chris found one of the few English-speaking channels that had a NCIS marathon running. Around eleven, Melanie fell asleep and the storm got worse outside.

"Hmm, is it still raining?" Melanie mumbled, her face pressed against Chris's chest.

"Yup," he yawned. "Sky looks a bit darker too."

She opened her eyes to look, groaning at the ugly black sky that loomed over the island. "I thought it was supposed to be nice all week."

He chuckled, "It's the Caribbean, Mel," he rubbed her back. "It tends to rain a lot."

Melanie laid her head back down and sighed, "What are you watching now?" she asked, closing her eyes again.

"Some nature show," he yawned again. "You should see these spiders, Mel. They're huge."

Shuddering, Melanie shook her head. "No thanks. I don't like spiders."

"You don't?" he asked. "They eat all the bad bug- Whoa, look at that! Holy shit that thing is HUGE!" he exclaimed.

"Stop talking about spiders!" she hissed. "I have a severe case of arachnophobia and you do NOT want to see what happens when I see a spider."

Chris continued to rub her back, "That bad?" he asked.

Melanie shifted against him, "Bad enough that every muscle in my body locks up and I get violently ill."

"I guess that means a nature walk is out, huh?" he asked, turning the television off.

"If you want the rest our vacation to go smoothly," she groaned, as he shifted underneath her to lay down. "They really have spiders here?"

Chris pulled the blanket up over them, "Of course," he tucked her in. "Spiders live everywhere."

She whimpered, "Ew."

Chuckling, Chris leaned forward and kissed her forehead before wrapping his arm around her tightly. "No nature walks in the jungle," he promised.

Melanie responded with a content sigh and she fell into a deeper sleep, her leg now wrapped around his. Pulling the blanket around them tightly, Chris pulled her closer to his side as the rain lulled them both to sleep.

…..

"I miss Aunt Mellie and Chris," Joanna pouted, as she scribbled in her coloring book. "When are they coming home?"

Jim shuffled from the stove to the table, setting lunch down for them both. "Soon Jo," he set the grilled cheese onto a plate. "They wont be back til next weekend."

Joanna groaned, "I want to play with Callie and Claude," she whined.

"I know you do," Jim went back to the stove, setting the pieces of bread down in the pan. "But you know your dad doesn't like cats and that's why they're staying with Nyota."

"Can we get them toys later?" she asked, looking up at him. "After we get stuffs for Hikaru's sniffies?"

Jim snorted, "We can get them some stuff," he nodded. "I think Nyota said she needed another bag of treats for them. You know where she found them this morning?" he asked.

Joanna shook her head, "She found Claude sitting on the shelf in the shower," he started, as Joanna giggled. "And Miss Callie was sleeping in an empty shopping bag in her closet."

"Callie does that all the time," Joanna giggled. "Daddy found her one time in the empty garbage can in the bathroom. She scared him."

Jim snorted, "I bet she did," he shook his head, noting to store that information with the rest of his blackmail files on his friends. "Alright Kiddo, what else do you want with your grilled cheese?"

"Hmmm, chips!"

With a nod, Jim moved to the cabinet and grabbed the bag of potato chips off the shelf. Bringing them to the table, Jim set the bag down in front of her and moved back to the stove. Flipping the grilled cheese over in the pan, Jim pressed down firmly with the spatula before scooping it up and setting it on a dish. Once the stove was off, he moved to the table and sat down.

"You coloring for everyone?" he asked, nodding to the coloring book. "Who's that one for?"

Joanna looked down at the Cinderella picture she was coloring in and smiled, "I think I'm going to give this to Hikaru. Maybe it'll make him feel better."

Jim nodded, "I think so too," she smiled.

"I don't know what to color for you though," she frowned. "What Disney princess do you like?"

"Well, I like them all," he shrugged. "They're all very pretty, but not as pretty as you."

Joanna giggled, "I love you, Jim."

Jim felt his heart swell at that moment, as Joanna smiled at him from across the table. "I love you too, Jo-Bean."

….

Leonard sighed as he took the exit off the highway, which would lead him back into Seattle. It was a long drive from Portland, having endured another meeting with the divorce lawyers. In the last few weeks, the meetings had shifted from being local to all over the west coast. He knew it was Jocelyn's doing, since her lawyer was the biggest piece of shit that ever walked the planet. Thankfully, Leonard's lawyer made sure to keep the most recent meeting on the west coast, since Jocelyn was aiming to hold it in New York.

How Jocelyn could even afford such a lawyer, was beyond him, since she was flat out broke from the drug use. It was possible that she either obtained him through her family or she was sleeping with him, which wouldn't surprise Leonard. She'd done it before during their marriage in order to score her poison. It just took Leonard five years and one near-death overdose to make him realize that his wife was a junkie. He just assumed that her bouts of hysteria were the result of working and taking care of a their daughter.

The cellphone in the cupholder started to ring, making him curse. Managing to steer the car with one hand, Leonard put the phone on speaker.

"Hello?"

"Bones!"

"Daddy!"

He smiled, "Hey you two," he switched lanes. "What are you guys doing? Not getting into any trouble are you?"

Joanna giggled, "No Daddy! We're coloring!"

Leonard could picture the two of them sitting around the table in Jim's apartment, coloring furiously in on of the many coloring books he packed into her bag the day before.

"What are you coloring?" he asked.

"I got Carebears," Jim chuckled. "Miss Joanna is coloring in her princesses and making sure that everyone gets their own princess."

Leonard chuckled, "That's Jo for ya," he shook his head. "Everyone has to have their own character or else!"

"When are you coming home?" Joanna asked.

"I'm on my way home now, darlin'. Just took the exit off the highway, so I should be home in an hour."

Joanna squealed, "Okay!"

Leonard heard the phone shuffle and he was taken off speaker, "How's the drive?" Jim asked.

"Ridiculous," Leonard grunted. "I can't stand these goddamn meetings being all over the place anymore."

"How many more do you think you'll need to go to?"

He sighed, "Hopefully? None," he waited at a red light. "I never want to see Jocelyn's face or her damn lawyer's ever again in my life."

Jim hummed in agreement, "You're almost there, Bones," he said. "Eventually she'll crack once she realizes that she's not getting a single dime or Jo from you. Any judge would be stupid to let her have visitation rights after what she did."

"I know, kid," he sighed. "I'll call you when I'm close."

"Okay Bones. See ya soon."

Leonard hung up and set the phone back down, sighing as the light went from red to green.

…..

Pavel sat patiently as the professor went on and on about the test, going over how it was graded and what he was looking for. Fiddling in his seat, Pavel kept glancing at the clock, watching as the minutes ticked down. He just wanted his damn test to see if he had passed it with flying colors, or bombed it.

"When we meet again next week, we'll resume our discussion of the Holocaust and it's aftermath and then we'll move on to the war in the Pacific."

With a sigh of relief, Pavel watched as his fellow classmates stood up and clogged the aisle to get their exams. He sat and waited as they grabbed their exams and left, either smiling for joy or cursing in despair. Once the crowd lightened up, Pavel grabbed his bag and moved down the steps to the front of the room.

The tests were listed in piles, grouped together by the order of the alphabet. Moving the A-F pile, Pavel quickly found his exam and took it. He raced up back up the aisle and went out into the hallway, clutching the exam book to his chest. Once he was outside, he took a deep breath and slowly opened the exam. Looking down he spotted the giant red mark on the front page. _**B+. **_

"Holy shit.." he murmured, closing his eyes and opening them again. The grade was still the same. "FUCK YEAH!" he shouted, startling a few students that walked by.

Blushing, he quickly made his way up the pathway and took out his phone, snapping a picture of the exam.

_I literally cannot believe it. Thank you SO much, Mel! Hope you're having a great vacation! Tell Chris I said "Hi" :D._

Attaching the photo to the message, Pavel sent the text and placed his phone back into his pocket. He had an hour to kill before his next lecture, which gave him enough time to print out a few documents he would need for that weekend. With a smile, he walked towards the library, feeling a huge weight being lifted off his shoulders.


	36. Chapter 36

"Dammit Joanna!" Leonard shouted as the six-year old threw a tantrum. "I don't have time for this!"

"I WANNNA SEE THE KITTIES!" she shrieked, as tears rolled down her face. "I WANNA SEE THEM NOW!"

Scooping up the broken bits of the cereal bowl, Leonard sighed in frustration. Ever since he brought Joanna home from Gaila's after work the night before, he had dealt with a snappy child. At first he figured it was a combination of being shuffled between houses and him being away, but when she threw the cereal bowl to the floor, Leonard knew it was much more than that.

"We are not going to see the damn cats today!" he stood up, tossing the broken shards of glass into the sink.

Joanna began to wail, her cries echoing off the walls of the tiny kitchen. "I wanna see the kitties!"

There was a knock at the door, causing Leonard to curse. It was most likely is nosey neighbor from across the hall, who never failed to put in her two cents when it came to him, raising his daughter. It must've been a shock to the old woman that it was only the two of them living in the shithole of an apartment.

"Don't move," he pointed to Joanna, as he started towards the door.

Pulling the security chain down, Leonard unlocked the two locks and pulled the door open. He was relieved to find Jim standing on the other side, holding a tray of coffee in one hand and a bakery bag in the other.

"Whoa," he frowned, as Joanna's cries filtered to the front of the apartment. "What the hell happened?"

Leonard sighed and moved so Jim could step in, closing the door behind him. "Temper tantrum," he muttered, making his way back to the kitchen.

Jim followed, setting the coffee and bag down on the counter. "Hey Jo-Bean," he grinned. "Why are you crying?"

Joanna sniffled, "D-daddy wont let me see the kitties!" she hiccupped, rubbing her watery eyes with balled up fists. "He's being a meanie!"

"I can't deal with this right now," Leonard shook his head. "She has a doctor's appointment in an hour and I have to get her a new coat at the damn store."

"Relax Bones," Jim placed his hand on the older man's shoulder. "Take her to the doctor and to the mall. After work I'll take her to Ny's and she can play with the cats for a while."

Leonard was about to protest, when Jim stopped him. "Would you rather her scream and cry all over town?" he asked.

"No," Leonard shook his head. "But she needs to understand that she can't always get what she wants."

Jim nodded, "I know, but she's a kid," he shrugged. "Just let her see the damn cats and all will be well."

He then turned to Joanna, "How does that sound?" he asked, kneeling down next to the chair. "You'll be good for your Dad while he takes you to the doctor and the mall? Then I'll take you to see Callie and Claude after work?"

Joanna hiccupped and nodded, making Jim smile. "Good girl," he kissed her cheek. "Now, I brought breakfast and coffee."

Standing up, Jim made his way to the counter and collected the bag and tray, brining it back to the table. "I figured you could use some real coffee," he shrugged. "None of that awful garbage you've been drinking."

Leonard watched as Jim set a blueberry muffin on a napkin in front of Joanna, before pulling out two more from the bag. "Thanks Jim," he nodded. "You've been a great help for the last week and a half."

Jim smiled and sat down across from Joanna, "No problem, Bones," he shrugged, taking a sip from his cup. "I don't mind at all."

….

Nyota cursed as the doorbell rang again, taking two steps at a time. "HOLD ON!" she shouted, as Callie and Claude barreled down the steps after her.

Racing to the door, Nyota unlocked it and pulled it open. "Can I he-Spock?" she gasped. "W-what are you doing here?"

"I was informed by a Gaila that I was to come here at once to see you," he slightly cocked his head to the side. "She was very adamant."

Nyota was dumbfounded, "She did?"

Spock gave her a brief nod, "May I come in?" he asked.

"Oh!" she gasped, moving to the side. "Come in!"

She watched as he moved past her, stepping out of the chilly spring air and into the warmth of her house. Callie and Claude sat on the bottom step of her staircase, staring at them through their green eyes.

"I see you have been acquired to watch your friend's pets again," Spock nodded to the two felines.

Nyota nodded as she closed the door, "They're on vacation in Puerto Rico," she said, taking his jacket. "They'll be home this weekend."

Spock watched as she set the jacket on the coat rack, "Would you like some tea?" she asked.

He nodded, "That would be sufficient."

Five minutes later, Nyota had two cups of herbal tea on the table and a tray of biscuits between them. "So," she started, unsure where to begin. "I'm surprised to see you."

Spock studied her for a moment, "You're also upset with me."

She looked down at her cup, nodding. "I am."

"May I ask why?"

"You haven't returned my messages," she shrugged. "And you've been bailing out on our vid-chats every week."

Spock gave her a brief nod, which annoyed her. "Ever since you left after New Years, you've been acting strange. You seem…" she shook her head. "Distant. Bored."

"Nyota, I apologize for making you think such illogical thoughts," he placed his hands on the table. "I did not mean for you to think that I did not want to talk to you anymore."

She snorted, "You could've fooled me," she muttered. "Why are you here, Spock? Why did Gaila tell you to come here?"

"Your friend used violent promises if I, and I quote, "Did drag my sorry ass from my icebox of a home to see you," and so I did."

Nyota snorted, "Oh god," she rolled her eyes. "I'm going to kill her."

Spock's eyebrows rose, "I do not wish for you to kill her, Nyota," he shook his head.

"Yeah well, she shouldn't be putting her nose into my business like this," she snapped.

Spock picked up the cup and took a sip, "I did not solely come here based on your friends promises to use violence upon me."

"You didn't?" she frowned. "Because it sounds like you did."

Nyota could've sworn that his mouth twitched, showing signs of a possible smile or laughter. "What?" she asked, as he stared at her.

"I came here to tell you, Nyota Uhura, that I love you."

….

The sun filtered through the glass door, beaming down on the sleeping couple in the bed. Melanie groaned, pressing her face deeper into the pillow, her headache radiating down the back of her neck. She could hear Chris snoring deeply next to her, his leg like dead weight on hers.

"Hmmmm," she groaned, feeling as if she were dying.

Slowly, she lifted her head up and looked at the clock on the table. Her eyes burned as the sunlight reflected off the shiny alarm clock, barely able to read the time. Blinking a few times, Melanie could make out that it was a little after seven in the morning. With another groan, she slowly pushed herself up, yanking her leg out from under Chris's. Once she was free, Melanie stumbled out of bed, catching herself on the side of the mattress.

She could taste the alcohol and smell it, as she stumbled into the bathroom, completely nude. After she peed, Melanie managed to wash her face and brush her teeth, while staring at her reflection in the mirror. Her hair was a tangled mess, a frizzy halo around her head. She could see light bruises on her collarbones and neck, feeling the dull ache from the waist down. Clearly, she and Chris had way too much fun the night before.

Turning the light off, Melanie slowly went back into the bedroom and grabbed her bathrobe. Pulling it on, she tied it around her body tightly, before moving to shut the curtains. With the sun blocked out, she made her way out of the bedroom and into the sitting room. Clothes were scattered about on the floor, and the table had several bottles on one end.

"Jesus," she muttered, shaking her head.

They needed coffee, strong coffee. And some food to fill their stomachs, after a night of god knows what. The last thing she remembered, as she searched for the room service menu, was the quiet dinner she and Chris had out in one of the tourist-filled towns. After that, things got hazy. She remembered that at one point, they bought a bottle of tequila and cracked it open on the beach. After that, nothing.

"Where the fuck?" she hissed, searching through the mess on the table. "Ah, here we go!"

Picking up the folded paper, Melanie quickly pulled it open to find their options for breakfast. But instead, she didn't see anything about coffee. Or breakfast. Given the fact that Melanie didn't know anything past Hola and Muy Caliente, there was no way in hell that she would understand what she was reading.

"What?" she frowned, squinting at the text.

Their names were on it, along with the date and time; and given the fancy stamp that looked pretty governmental, Melanie had a weird feeling come over her.

"CHRIS!" she screamed, clutching the paper in her hand. "CHRIS GET OUT HERE NOW!"

She could hear him cursing from the bedroom, and a loud thump as he fell out of bed. A few seconds later, he was making his way out of the bedroom, pulling a pair of pants on.

"What?" he snapped. "Why are you screaming!"

She turned to look at him, "You speak Spanish," she said. "What is this?"

Chris looked at her for a moment, before snatching the paper out of her hands. While he looked like utter shit from their night of debauchery, Melanie couldn't find it in her heart to care at that moment. She watched as Chris read the paper slowly, his eyes going wide.

"What?!" she asked, growing nervous. "Oh god, did we get arrested last night?"

He looked up at her and she started to cry, "Oh god, we did get arrested!" she frantically cried "Holy shit! What did we do last night?"

He took hold of her hand and shook his head, "We didn't get arrested," he said, his voice low, laced with shock.

"We didn't?" she asked.

Chris shook his head, "No."

"Then," she shook her head, confused. "What is that?" she asked, nodding to the paper in his hands.

He looked down at it and blinked, "We got married."


	37. Chapter 37

It took them a while to sober up, drinking the strongest coffee they could order to the room. Finally, after an hour, they both sat on the couch and stared at the marriage license on the coffee table. Both were silent, almost afraid to speak to one another. The _holyfuckingshitimmarried!, _thoughts ran through both of their heads, as they struggled to remember what exactly happened the night before.

"What do we do?" Melanie whispered, gripping her hands together tightly.

Chris looked over at her, "What do you mean?"

She shrugged, "D-do we even know if it's legal outside of Puerto Rico?" she asked, turning to look at him. "I mean, we just got married in a foreign country."

"I don't know if it's gonna be legal in the States," he shook his head. "I've only been married once before and that happened in Miami."

Melanie let out a shuddery breath, "Oh god," she gasped, covering her mouth. "We're married."

Startled, Chris quickly moved closer to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "Hey," he pulled her close to his side. "Why are you crying?"

He was worried now, hoping that Melanie wasn't completely freaked out about the idea of being married to him. They'd spent a lot of time talking about marriage, and while they had only been together for less than a year, he didn't find it terribly awful. Despite the fact that they were too shitfaced to even remember it.

"B-because," she huffed. "I don't even remember my own wedding," she sobbed, covering her face with her hands.

"Oh honey," he pulled her onto his lap, "It's alright."

Melanie shook her head, "No it's not," she sobbed. "How could you say that? We can't remember a single thing!"

Chris sighed, "Mel, we can always do something when we get back to Seattle," he said, rubbing her back.

She sniffled, "Can't you just agree with me?" she asked. "I just got married and can't remember any of it. My first and only wedding and I was too drunk to remember!"

Rubbing her back slowly, Chris held onto her as she cried, muttering about not being able to wear a wedding dress or the fact that their friends and Joanna weren't there to see it. After what seemed like hours, Melanie finally calmed down enough to sit up.

"Better?" he asked, smoothing her hair back.

She shrugged, "A little," she whispered.

"I meant what I said," he wiped her face with his finger. "We can get re-married at home and have a party. Whatever you want, Mel."

"Yeah?" she asked, looking at him. "You'd do that?"

Chris nodded, "Of course I would. Every girl wants to wear a white dress and be the center of the attention for one day," he rubbed her arm. "Whatever you want Mel. I want you to be happy."

Melanie nodded, "Okay."

Kissing her forehead, Chris wrapped his arms around her waist and sighed. "For a moment there, I thought you were more upset that you actually got married to me. Not because we were too drunk to remember it happening."

She shook her head, "I'm not upset that I married you," she shook her head. "We've talked about it more than once in the last six months."

He nodded, "I'm just sad that my first wedding happened in a foreign country, and that I have no memory of it. I can't even begin to imagine what a sight we were to the people who did the ceremony."

Chris snorted, "Two drunken Americans, stumbling around," he shrugged. "Do you think we had a bottle of tequila with us, taking shots between vows?"

Melanie groaned, "That's not funny," she mumbled, burying her face into his chest.

He chuckled, "Something we can tell the grandkids though."

Lifting her head up, Melanie wrapped her arms around his neck and sighed, "I love you," she ran her fingers through his hair. "I do. So don't, for one second, think that I'm upset that we're married now."

Chris nodded, "I guess we need to figure out what to do next," he shrugged. "Like where we're going to live and combining all the legal shit together."

She groaned, "Can we at least wait until we get a license in Seattle?" she asked. "I mean, we're only Mr. and Mrs. Pike in one country, that's not our home base."

He grinned, "Mrs. Pike," he nodded. "I like that."

Melanie blushed, "I like it too. Melanie Rose Pike," she giggled. "Mrs. Christopher Pike."

"I have to get you a ring," he held up her hand, which was bare. "How long do you think it'll take before your brother freaks out?" he asked.

She shrugged, "Don't know and don't care at the moment."

But she knew, deep down, that this would piss Leonard off even more. They already hated one another, the only thing keeping them civil being Joanna. Melanie silently prayed that this event wouldn't be the thing that made Leonard take her away for good.

"How about, we get some breakfast," Chris suggested. "Then we can stay in for the day and relax?"

Melanie nodded, "Maybe we can have dinner here tonight? No drinking though," she winced. "I don't ever want to look at another bottle of tequila again in my life."

He chuckled, "I think we can work something out," he agreed. "I love you."

She smiled, "I love you too," she leaned down to kiss him. "Always."

….

A few days later, Melanie's mood about her drunken wedding changed. While she was still upset that her first and only wedding wasn't exactly what she hoped for, she still couldn't help but smile every time she woke up next to Chris. He'd found her sitting outside scribbling on a piece of hotel stationary on morning, her loopy handwriting printing her new name. _Melanie Rose Pike. Mrs. Melanie Rose Pike. Melanie Pike. _With the hearts and flowers drawn around the edges of the paper and the peaceful smile on her face, as she napped in the lounge chair on the patio, Chris couldn't help but smile.

"How the hell did I get sunburn on one spot of my body?" Melanie asked, as she looked at her reflection in the mirror. "Of all the places too!"

Chris stood in the doorway of the bathroom, chuckling. "You were so impatient to get out there."

Melanie frowned, "But really? The one part of my ass that my bathing suit didn't cover?"

"I told you to put more sunscreen on," he sighed. "But you think you're invincible to the sun Miss "I'm from Georgia and we are immune to the sun's rays", though that red mark on your ass tells a different story."

She shot him a look, "You should talk! You practically lived in a sand castle for the first half of your life! Now the sun is too strong for you."

"That's because I've been living in the rainiest city for the last fifteen years," he shrugged.

Melanie sighed, "I'm going to take a shower and find aloe in this mess of a bathroom," she huffed, moving to the shower.

Chris snorted, "Aloe?" he asked. "For one spot on your ass?"

She looked over her shoulder at him, "What? It's going to hurt later!"

"Mel, it's a tiny spot!"

Stripping off her bathing suit, Melanie climbed into the shower and pulled the door closed behind her. "I don't care!" she yelled over the stream of water. "It's still sunburn and it's still going to hurt!"

…

Jim unlocked the front door and set the keys on the table, before closing the door behind him. Carrying the stack of mail in his hands, Jim kicked off his shoes.

"YO HIKARU!" he shouted, shuffling through the endless bills and catalogs. "YOU GOT MAIL!"

A few seconds later, Hikaru came out of his room and stepped into the kitchen. "Must you yell?" he asked. "While our neighbors find you attractive, they still wont tolerate your obnoxious yelling and screaming."

Jim rolled his eyes, "You have mail," he whispered, holding the small pile out.

Hikaru rolled his eyes and took the stack from him, flipping through the envelopes. _Bills. Bills. Promotion for the new gym in town. John Hopkins. Bills. Bills. _Hikaru paused and went back a few envelopes, before settling on the one from _John Hopkins. _Setting the rest of the mail down, Hikaru held the envelope in his hands and stared at it.

"Dude, why do we keep getting knitting magazines?" Jim asked, staring at the offensive magazine in his hands. "We are not eighty-year old widows with like twenty grandkids."

HIkaru nodded, "Yeah. Not old ladies," he said quietly.

Jim looked up at him and frowned, "What's wrong?" he asked, setting the mail down.

Turning the envelope over, Hikru held it up for him to see. Jim gasped and stepped forward to get a closer look, "Holy shit," he gasped. "That's _John Hopkins_."

HIkaru nodded, "Well, aren't you going to open it?" Jim asked. "This is like, huge!"

"I probably didn't get in," Hikaru said, as Jim rolled his eyes. "I mean, it's a tough school to get into."

"Dude, open the fucking letter! You won't know until you actually read the damn thing!" he exclaimed.

Hikaru nodded, "You're right," he sighed. "I have to open it and find out for sure."

Jim waited as Hikaru stared at the envelope in his hands, "Oh my god, I can' t open it," he shook his head. "This is stupid. I'm just going to throw it out!"

Before he could move, Jim grabbed his arm and shook his head. "Open it," he demanded. "If worse comes to worse and you didn't get in, you still have other options."

Hikaru sighed, "It's either this one or Stanford," he nodded briefly. "If didn't get into this one, then maybe I got into _Stanford_."

Jim gave him a reassuring smile, "West Coast VS. East Coast? Damn, tough choice."

With trembling hands, Hikaru ripped the envelope open and pulled the paper out. Jim watched as he slowly unfolded the thick parchment, spotting the school's letterhead before Hikaru held it up to read.

"Dear Hikaru Sulu," he started, eyes scanning the page. "We are please to inform you that you have been accepted into _John Hopkins_ Pre-Med program for Fall of 2013."

Jim let out a yell, "FUCK YEAH!" he threw his fist up in the air. "THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKIN ABOUT!"

He slapped Hikaru on the back, "I told you, Karu," he laughed. "You were meant to become a doctor!"

Hikaru felt a huge weight being lifted off his shoulders, as he re-read the letter again. He did it_. John Hopkins_ wanted him in their program and he was going to become a doctor.

Jim pulled him into a hug, "I'm so proud of you, buddy," he squeezed him tightly. "Knew you could do it."

"Thanks Jim," he patted his back. "Holy shit."

The blonde pulled back and chuckled, "We are going to celebrate tonight," he said, moving to grab his phone off the table. "All of us, well except for Mel and Chris since they're on their love fest of a vacation," he shook his head. "We're going out and celebrating."

At this point, Hikaru would've turned down the offer of going out and getting wasted. But _John Hopkins _accepted his application and wanted him.

"I'm game," he grinned.

Jim laughed, "Dr. Hikaru Sulu," he shook his head. "Sounds like a badass motherfucker right there."


	38. Chapter 38

"Your sister is coming home tomorrow," Jim said, as he set the tray down on the counter. "Are you going to be a gentleman and call her up to see how her trip was?"

Leonard snorted, "Why the hell would I do that?" he asked, washing the knives in the sink. "I don't need to know how my sisters two week fuck fest went."

Jim rolled his eyes, "Let me just ask you a question," he grabbed the dishtowel off the counter. "Say your sister needed like.. an organ transplant and you were her only match. Would you do it?"

"What the hell kinda question is that?" Leonard frowned. "Of course I would!"

"Ah ha!" Jim pointed at him. "So you'll give her a kidney or part of your liver, but you wont ask her if she had a nice time in Puerto Rico?"

"Dammit Jim!" Leonard growled. "I don't have time for this bullshit!"

Jim snickered, "Dude, I'm just trying to understand your situation here," he shrugged. "And how you will only talk to your sister if it came to her needed organs."

Leonard set the knives down on the dish rack and turned to look at him, "If I didn't give her a organ or something medical related, that would be on my conscious for life. My Mama taught be better than that."

"That's so fucking ridiculous and you know it," Jim snorted. "She taught you better than that?"

"She did," Leonard nodded.

Jim stepped away from the counter, "Correct me if I'm wrong," he held his hands up. "But if your Mama taught you ANYTHING about being proper, then you would either pick up the phone or when you drop Jo off, ask her how her flight was and how the trip was. No one said you needed to know the details of what they actually did."

"You have some set of balls tellin' me what to do, you know that right?"

He nodded, "Yes, I do. I've been told that they are quite big," Jim said innocently.

Leonard rolled his eyes, "You are a pain in my ass," he muttered, moving to the fridge.

"Just your ass?" Jim asked, mocking shock. "Well, I'll be goddamned!" he snickered, as Leonard cursed from the fridge.

…..

Melanie dug through her suitcase, shifting clothes around to pack away the many things she bought during their two-week vacation.

"Why are you packing now?" Chris asked, coming into the bedroom. "We don't leave until tomorrow afternoon."

She shrugged; "I don't want to rush around tomorrow morning trying to find all my things?" she looked at him. "I'm only putting the dirty laundry in, because I can't stand looking at it."

Chris sat down on the edge of the bed, watching as she shoved the laundry at the very bottom of the suitcase, laying a shopping bag over it. "Must kill you, huh?" he asked. "Not being able to do any laundry?"

"You're cute," she shook her head. "Be lucky that you have a cute face, that keeps me from hurting it."

"Ouch, threatening spousal abuse," he shook his head. "Thought I married a nice girl."

She gave him an innocent smile, "But darling," she batted her eyelashes. "You did marry a nice girl."

Chris laid back across the bed, "Well, can I take my nice girl out for dinner?" he asked. "Considering this is our last night here before we go back to our rainy home in the Northwest?"

Melanie closed the suitcase and moved it to the floor, before climbing onto the bed. "I think you could," she laid her head on his chest. "What are we talking about? Fancy or casual?"

Chris shrugged, "Something quiet," he wrapped his arm around her waist. "I'd like another quiet meal before going home to see the damage Kirk has placed upon my kitchen."

She snorted, "I heard he was doing pretty good," she poked his hand. "I called Nyota this morning and she said that Jim's been holding the fort down for you."

"I'll believe it when I see it," he snorted. "Jim's a good kid, he knows what he's doing."

Melanie rolled over and nodded, "He's a good guy," she kissed his cheek. "Now, lets go get some food."

Chris watched as she hopped off the bed, moving to grab a clean set of clothes. "All you think about is food," he said, as she went into the bathroom.

"You forgot sex in that equation," she said, rushing back out to grab a pair of underwear. "And you for that matter."

She gave him a sweet smile, which he returned. "I'll be out in ten minutes," she promised, closing the door to the bathroom.

…..

"What are you doing Jo?" Gaila asked, as she came out of the kitchen. "Are you doing homework?"

Joanna shook her head, "No, I'm making a picture for Aunt Mellie and Chris," she smiled at the redhead. "They come home tomorrow!"

Gaila smiled, "They do," she smoothed the back of her head with a genital hand. "But I don't think your dad will be happy if you went home with none of your homework completed."

"I know," Joanna shrugged. "But Daddy is being a grump and I don't like listening to him."

She snorted, "Oh," she nodded. "I can see reason to that."

Joanna pulled the box of markers closer, digging around to find the color she needed. "Do you want something to eat?" Gaila asked. "Scotty took the day off and he's coming over soon."

The little girl looked up quickly, "Is he bringing shortbread?" she asked.

Gaila giggled, "I think he's bringing enough shortbread cookies for the two of you," she nodded.

"Okay, then we can have dinner!" Joanna set the marker down, scrambling out of her chair. "What can you make? Aunt Mellie says you don't cook."

"Well Aunt Mellie has been feeding you tales, Miss Joanna," she followed her into the kitchen. "I've been learning from Scotty and his friends."

Joanna helped pull the refrigerator door open, "You should let Jim and Daddy help you," she said, as Gaila shifted through her recent grocery purchases. "Or Chris! He makes yummy food for me and Aunt Mellie."

Gaila pulled the package of mozzarella and the bag of tomatoes out, "Aunt Mellie is going to get fat if Chris keeps making all that food for her," she said, carrying the items to the counter. "Do you think her butt will fit in all those jeans in her closet?"

Joana shook her head, giggling. "Nope."

Grabbing a box of pasta out of the cabinet, Gaila grabbed the pot and filled it with water. "How about we have pasta tonight? Then shortbread cookies for dessert?"

"Yum! Yum! Yum!" Joanna chanted, bouncing on the heels of her feet.

…..

"When we go home, I'm going on a diet," Melanie huffed, throwing her body down on the bed. "None of my clothes are going to fit right now."

Chris snorted, "You're clothes fit fine," he said, shutting the blinds on the sliding door. "And you don't need to go on a diet."

She grunted, rolling onto her side, "Says the man who can eat whatever he wants and doesn't gain a pound," her eyes scanned him. "How do you do that by the way? I thought your metabolism slowed down between thirty-five and forty?"

He glared at her as he made his way over to the bed, "I'll have you know," he started, moving to lean over her. "I have a perfect metabolism."

"You do?" she asked. "Or is the constant sexual activity and yelling at your co-workers the reason why you're in shape?"

Chris propped himself up on his elbow, "You know, maybe I'll keep feeding you an array of exotic foods," he said, brushing his hand down her side. "I like to see a little meat on you."

Melanie squealed as he tickled her, curling up into a ball. "Stop!" she cried, as he relaxed his grip on her.

"You really think your fat?" he asked, growing serious.

She shook her head, "No, but I feel…" she trailed off. "Bloated? Maybe I had too much salt in the last two weeks."

He sat up, keeling next to her. "I think you look sexy," he grinned at her, making her giggle. "I like this," his held her hips in place, lightly squeezing them through the light material of her dress.

Melanie bit her lip as his hands moved up on either side of her body, "You're soft," he said quietly. "I like that."

"You do?" she asked, shivering as his fingers danced across her clothed belly.

He nodded, "And I especially like these," he said, cupping her breasts. "Probably my favorite part."

She squealed, "You are unbelievable!" she exclaimed; as he dropped down to kiss her neck. "You really know how to- Ohhhhhhh."

Chris smiled against her neck, pleased at how he could make her melt. He took great pride in being the only one to turn her into a blabbering mess, just by the touch of his hands or his mouth. The fact that he could give her that much pleasure, was enough to keep the smug look on his face when they were out in public.

"You were saying?" he asked, smiling innocently down at her.

Melanie growled, "I was saying," she wrapped her leg around his waist. "You better stop talking and do that again."

"What? This?" he asked, before nibbling lightly on her neck; just below her ear.

Melanie bucked underneath him, letting out a deep moan as his hand moved up the skirt of her dress. "Holyshitmotherfucker," she gasped.

"Thank you, I guess?" he chuckled, as she gripped his arm tightly. "More?"

She nodded furiously, "Oh god, don't stop," she whined.

"I won't," he promised, before placing a quick kiss on her lips.


	39. Chapter 39

Melanie pushed the front door open with her foot, reaching in to hit the light switch. Once the front hall was illuminated with the bright white light, she pushed the door open and yanked her suitcase inside.

"God, it's hot in here," she whined, dropping her keys into the dish on the hall table. "I need to open some windows."

Chris followed her into the house, closing the door behind him. Moving their suitcases to the side, they both took off, opening the windows through the downstairs portion of the house. They met up in the living room, collapsing onto the couch that faced the window.

"I'm tired now," she yawned, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Me too," he agreed, toeing off his shoes. "And hungry."

Melanie groaned, "Too tired to get up," she yanked her boots off. "Sleep."

Chris groaned, "We should take a shower," he mumbled. "Wash the smell of airports and germs off."

"No," she yawned again. "Goodnight."

Too tired to reply, Chris managed to shift further down on the couch before passing out himself, his arm wrapped tightly around Melanie's waist.

…..

Jim stood on the porch, bouncing from one foot to the other, waiting for it to open. He could hear muffled cursing from behind the door, as the figure moved closer and closer. A few seconds later, Jim was beaming at a very grumpy and rumpled Chris.

"This better be good," he snapped, pushing the screen door open. "We are trying to sleep."

The younger man pushed past him with a snort, "Sleep?" he asked, turning to look at him. "I find that hard to believe."

A few seconds later, a bleary eyed Melanie stepped out into the hallway, yawning. "Oh shit! We're supposed to get the damn cats!" she yelled, her eyes wide now.

"Just relax!" Jim said, holding up his hands. "I dropped them off at Gaila's because Joanna was missing them dearly.

Melanie sighed, "Okay," she nodded. "I'm going to make some coffee."

They watched as she stumbled down the hall, disappearing into the kitchen. Jim shook his head, as the sounds of cabinets opening and closing and objects falling, filled the house.

"What the hell happened to you two?" he asked, looking at Chris. "You guys look pretty miserable after having a two week vacation. Especially when it was in Puerto Rico."

Chris nodded his head towards the living room, "It was a long flight," he said, as they moved to the couch. "Bumpy over the Gulf and into Texas and then we had a screaming toddler on board."

Jim nodded, "I see," he said, as they sat down. "But did you guys have fun at least?"

"Yeah," Chris nodded, laying his head back against the couch. "It was nice to get away and not have to deal with any bullshit; I didn't have to deal with Phil and Mel didn't have to deal with Len. It was perfect."

"Speaking of Len," Jim sighed. "He's so fucking backwards it's not even funny."

Chris looked over at him with a frown as Jim continued, "He wont talk to Mel but say she needed an organ transplant and he was the only match," he started. "THEN he would talk to her and give her half of his kidney or something. Dude, why not just talk to your sister regardless if she needed an organ or not?"

"I am too tired to even answer that question, "Chris said, shaking his head. "How's my kitchen?"

"Your kitchen is fine, Lord Pike," Jim bowed his head, earning a snort from Chris. "Phil of course will probably find something to bitch about my two week stint as Head Chef, but everyone else thought I did exceptionally well," he beamed.

Chris nodded, "Thank you," he stretched his arms over his head. "I had a feeling you would be good. The lack of emergency phone calls from the restaurant proved it."

"Awww,"Jim cooed. "Your faith in me and my managing skills just makes my heart flutter," he batted his eyelashes. "Now I can see why Melanie loves you so much."

Melanie chose that moment to come into the living room, carrying a small tray with three cups of steaming coffee. "Why does Melanie love you so much?" she asked, setting the tray down.

Jim took a cup and sat back against the couch, "Miss Mellie, your fine gentleman has a way with makin' hearts flutter and eyelash bat like a baby bird's wing."

Melanie giggled as Chris rolled his eyes, "God, I feel like I'm watching one of those awful Lifetime movies that my Mother watches," he grumbled, taking a sip from his cup.

"The fact that you even know what Lifetime movies consist of," Melanie said, as she sat down in the recliner, "Makes me wonder if you secretly enjoy them."

"Yes," Chris nodded. "I love the ones where the wife gets the revenge on the bastards who kidnapped their children. The "I'll do anything to get my baby back," is such a turn on."

Melanie and Jim snickered, "I bet it does," Jim nodded. "I wouldn't be surprised if you ended up being one of those closet freaks who like to do all that kinky shit. Whips and nipple clamps."

Melanie sputtered as Chris shook his head, "Must you?" he asked, as Melanie placed her cup on the table.

Jim laughed, "I hope I'm slightly right about that statement."

"Have you no shame? Melanie glared at him.

He shook his head, "Nope," he grinned. "Now, shall we discuss this rumor going around at the _Yorktown? _Phil supposedly wants to change the menu AGAIN and he's ready to fuck us all over with hours now."

…

The next morning, after a restless slumber, Chris woke up early. He showered, made breakfast and tossed a dirty load of laundry into the washer. He set a plate of toast and eggs on top of the stove and brought a cup of coffee up to Melanie, before kissing her goodbye. After hearing the news that Jim brought with him the night before, Chris was very concerned about the new changes Phil wanted to make. It had been the third time in the last year that he changed the menu, driving everyone up the wall. Now with the rumor of cutting hours and the potential of letting a few staff members go, really bothered Chris. In the last fifteen years, he had come to love and respect the chefs at the _Yorktown Tavern, _even if they sometimes got on his nerves.

It was a short drive from Melanie's house to the restaurant, and Chris was relieved that Phil's car was parked in the back lot. He quickly made his way in through the backdoor, using his key. The skeleton crew that worked overnight to clean and welcome the deliverymen in, were busy wiping down the counters when he came in.

"Hey guys!" he waved to them, as they washed.

"Ah! Senor Pike! Welcome back!" Ricardo said, waving at him. "Good vacation with your Missus?"

Chris smiled, "Very good! How's your Anita and the kids?" he asked.

Ricardo smiled, "Muy Bien! Estella made the tennis team and Jose is starting little league!"

"Congratulations! Tell them I said hello will ya?" he asked.

They exchanged a few more words before Chris made his way into Phil's tiny office, knocking lightly on the open door. Phil sat behind his desk, papers scattered about as he skimmed through them. When he heard the knock, he quickly looked up and smiled.

"Well," he dropped the pencil from his hand, "Look what the cat dragged in."

Chris stepped inside, moving around the chair to sit in it, "Hello, Philip."

"You're looking a little tan," his eyes scanned his appearance. "I take it you had a good time? How's Mel?"

Whenever Phil tried to talk about Melanie with him, Chris always felt a weird weight being dropped on hi shoulders. He didn't like the way that Phil looked at her, as if she were a piece of meat to sink his fangs into. Ever since the party on New Years, Chris had become very cautious when it came to having Phil around Melanie.

"She's good," he cleared his throat. "Heading back to work tomorrow," he lied.

Phil smiled and nodded, "Of course. Busy girl she is, researching her shipwrecks."

Chris ignored the comment and dove right into what he came for, "What's this I hear about you changing the menu again?" he asked. "And the possibility of cutting hours and letting staff go?"

"Boy, you don't miss a thing do ya?" Phil shook his head. "I'm guessing Jim came by to tell you."

"Doesn't matter who I heard it from," Chris shot back. "I heard it and I want to know what's going on."

Phil sat back in his chair, "I've decided that menu needs a little tweaking," he shrugged. "And business has been slowing down over the last few weeks, and I really don't see the need to have everyone on for the full eight hours."

Chris rolled his eyes, "You do realize that these people need to work the full eight hours? They have bills to pay, mortgages that need to be met each month. Hell, Len's got a little girl he needs to take care of and Pavel is putting himself through college now that his parents cut him off!" he exclaimed.

"Look, I'm not going to cut Len's hours," Phil held his hand up. "He's the only butcher that knows what he's doing."

"Who are you planning on firing?" Chris asked. "You can't fire anyone in the kitchen, Phil. Do you realize how long it took for me to put that team together?"

Phil nodded, "I do, Chris," he said. "But eventually things have to change. You know Hikaru is going to medical school in the fall and I'll need to replace him."

Chris didn't know this fact and Phil picked up on that, "So he didn't tell you?" he asked, smiling. "Well, it seems as if you guys aren't as close as I thought."

He glared at Phil, "I was away for two weeks," he snapped. "I'm sure Hikaru was going to tell me when I returned."

"Anyways," Phil brushed off his attitude. "I'll most likely be letting Janice and Christine go by the middle of the summer. They're constantly tardy and when they do show up for work, they're always taking cigarette breaks. I've had constant complaints about them and their attitude's."

Chris shook his head, "Phil, I think you're just making shit up as you go."

"Am I?" Phil asked. "And why do you think that?"

"First of all, Janice takes classes at the community college. I understand why she's late for shift because it takes a year to get off campus. Christine works the over night at the hospital, and can barely keep her eyes open when she's here six nights a week," he shook his head. "Maybe if you made their schedules with your eyes opened, we wouldn't have these problems."

Phil cleared his throat, "It sounds like you're telling me how to do my job, Christopher."

Chris shrugged, "Maybe I am," he blinked. "And maybe you should listen."

He then stood up and made his way to the door, "If you change the menu again, we're going to have problems. My staff will not push themselves to learn a whole new menu again and I will not tolerate you firing any of them," he warned. "Just leave them alone, Phil."

Phil simply smiled as he picked up the pencil, "Enjoy your morning, Chris," he said. "And make sure to send my greetings to Mel."

….

"He sounds like a dick," Melanie said, as she chewed her toast. "Why can't I kill him again?"

Chris chuckled as he brought another cup of coffee to the table, "Because I don't want to see my wife in jail?" he offered, kissing the top of her head. "I'm getting tired of his bullshit though."

Melanie nodded, "And what's with his creepy obsession with me?" she asked. "Does he not realize that I don't put my vagina out for rent?"

He snorted, "Yes," he nodded slowly. "But I wouldn't word it like that."

She rolled her eyes, "Maybe I should say something to him the next time I'm there," she set the cup down. "I can picture myself going up to him and telling him that under no circumstances is he to fuck with my husband's staff and that if he can't keep his eyes off me, then I will rip them out with a spatula!"

"First off," he pulled her off the chair and onto his lap. "You can't rip anyone's eyes out with a spatula."

Melanie shifted on his lap, before wrapping her arms around his neck. "Maybe I could be the first person to achieve such a skill."

"Second, I don't want you talking to Phil at all," he said, playing with the sleeve of her shirt.

"Why?" she asked, frowning. "Are you afraid that I will hurt his ears with my eloquent vocabulary?"

Chris laughed, "I'm sure you could," he nodded. "But I just don't feel comfortable with him around you, Mel."

"Baby," she cooed. "You don't have to worry about me running off with him. He's creepy and so full of himself."

"It's not that," he shook his head. "Something about him just seems… off."

Melanie leaned forward and kissed him, "Well, I wouldn't let him get to you," she shrugged. "He's just bitter that you're a better person than he is; you're an amazing chef and you have a total babe for a wife."

Chris snorted, "And you say Phil is full of himself?" he joked, as she slapped his shoulder. "Sorry."

She pouted, "You better be," she huffed. "How about you and the others sit down and talk about it? I'm sure there's more to the story than what Jim told you."

"Your brother and me in a room together?" he snorted. "Do you want us to have heart attacks on the spot?"

"No, but I think if it's work related you'll be fine," she shrugged. "But really, all of you need to get together and talk about this. Make plans if you have to because it sounds like Phil cannot be trusted."

Chris nodded, "I will," he promised. "You better finish your breakfast so we can get some groceries and rescue our cats from Gaila and Scotty."


	40. Chapter 40

"Okay, I called you all here to discuss some things that Phil wants to change," Chris said, looking at his co-workers.

Four days after his meeting with Phil, Chris decided to do exactly what Melanie suggested. Hold a meeting and discuss the possible changes at the restaurant, warning them that Phil was going to fuck up everything again.

"At this point, I'm just ready to quit," Hikaru sighed, as Melanie came in to the den with a tray. "I'll be leaving soon anyways."

Nyota set a bowl of chips down on the table, "You can't quit now, Hikaru," she said. ""Just work until it's time for you to leave, that way you have the extra money."

Chris nodded, "You'll need it," he sighed. "Where's everyone else?"

Melanie shrugged, "Jim said he was coming with Len and Pavel should be here in a few minutes," he kissed his cheek. "You know how traffic is at the campus."

"Maybe we should all quit," Scotty shrugged. "Open a new restaurant."

Gaila yawned, "How about a bar?" she grinned. "We could use a new one."

Melanie rolled her eyes, "The only person here with experience is Scotty," she nodded to him. "Everyone else cooks! You can't cook drinks!"

Chris snorted, "Calm down," he pulled her into his arms. "Phil would lose his shit if we opened a restaurant."

Gaila shrugged, "Good! He's so creepy and full of himself!" she rolled her eyes. "How can Nyota, Janice and Christine deal with him?"

Scotty shrugged, "Ah know Nyota and Christine don't stand for his shite. Janice? Ah don't know the lass very well."

"HELLO! MISS MELLIE?"

Melanie groaned, "PRISSY!" she shrieked, making the others laugh.

A few seconds later, Jim came into the den with Joanna in his arms. "Look what I found Miss Mellie! She gon help you with your dressin!" he said, southern drawl and all.

Len stood behind him, "Dammit Jim! That's not how we sound!"

Joanna giggled, "You talk funny," she said, patting Jim's cheek.

"Why thank you Miss Scarlett," he kissed her cheek. "Go on and give Miss Mellie a hug."

Setting her down, Joanna took off towards Melanie and wrapped her arms around her leg. "Pick me up!" she demanded.

"Jo!" Leonard scolded, as Melanie scooped her up into her arms. "Mind your manners."

Melanie giggled, "I have food and drinks," she said to them, nodding to the table. "We're just waiting on Pavel and I think Janice is off from classes today, so she might drop by."

Jim nodded as he sat down next to Hikaru, "Hmmm, food," he grabbed a chip. "Is this vegetable dip?" he asked, nodding to the bowl.

"I think it's some kind of bean dip that Nyota made," Chris shrugged. "It's pretty good."

Melanie carried Joanna over to Len, "Do you want something to drink? I think I have a bottle of bourbon in the cabinet."

He nodded, "I'll get it," he said, moving to the kitchen. "Jo has a school thing coming up in three weeks and she would like it if you could come."

Melanie looked at her niece, "You do?" she asked, as Joanna nodded. "What are you doing?"

"It's a meet the teacher thing, "Len said, as he pulled the bottle down from the cabinet. "Jo's teacher said she could have two guests and she put down you and me."

"That sounds like fun!" Melanie said, kissing Joanna's cheek. "I like meeting teachers."

The front door opened singinaling a new arriver, "Hello! Anyone home?"

Joanna's eyes lit up, "Pavel!" she gasped, squirming in Melanie's arms. "PAVELLLLL!"

Setting her down, Melanie watched as Joanna raced out of the kitchen and into the hall to greet the newcomer. She shook her head and turned to Leonard.

"So, I'd like to talk to you about Joanna's birthday," she said, wringing her hands together.

"Her birthday's in July," he frowned, taking a sip from his glass.

"I know," she nodded. "But you know how crazy the summer is when it comes to planning parties. Especially on the weekends," she shrugged.

Leonard nodded slowly, "I was thinkin' about takin' Jo to Florida for her birthday," he said.

Melanie wilted a bit, "Oh," she said softly. "Right, Florida."

He watched as Melanie looked away from him, staring down at the floor. He sighed, "Maybe we could have dinner sometime before that? I'm sure Jo would like it."

Looking up at him, Melanie managed a weak smile and nodded, "Yeah, that sounds good."

They both stared at each other for a few minutes, before Melanie broke the tension. "Well, you better get in there," she nodded her head in the direction of the den. "From what I heard, Phil's really trying to fuck you guys over big time."

Leonard nodded and moved away from the counter, "Not surprising," he sighed. "Phil is the weirdest man I've ever met in my life."

Joanna came barreling into the kitchen with Pavel right behind her, "Hungry!" she shouted. "Can we have food?"

"Jo-bean, Pavel needs to come with Daddy so we can talk about work," Leonard said, ruffling her hair. "I'm sure your Aunt can make you something to eat."

Melanie nodded, "I have food out in the den, Pavel," she smiled at the young man. "Drinks are out there too."

Pavel smiled and nodded, "I'll be back later, Jo," he patted her hand. "Maybe you can help me with homework?"

Joanna smiled, "Okay!" she squealed, hugging his leg before running to the counter.

Melanie shook her head, "Well, have fun boys," she waved, as they moved out of the kitchen.

…

"So he wants to change the menu again AND cut hours?" Pavel asked, frowning.

Chris nodded, "He's also thinking about letting people go."

The mock outrage filled the air as soon as he said it, "What? He can't fire us!" Len snapped.

Chris held up his hands, "I told him that!" he insisted. "You all have bills to pay and mortgages to meet. School," he looked at Pavel and Hikaru. "And you have Jo," he nodded to Len.

Len managed a curt nod, before looking down at his glass. "So, who's he gonna fire?" he asked.

"He wants to fire Christine and you," he said, looking at Janice.

"WHAT!" she shrieked. "I can't lose this job!"

Nyota wrapped her arm around her shoulders, "I didn't even do anything!" Janice exclaimed, as tears filled her eyes.

"I know you didn't," Chris said. "I vouched for all of you," he looked at his crew. "If any one of you is let go, then I'll leave."

Jim shook his head, "You can't just leave, Chris," he shifted in his seat. "Without you that kitchen will crumble."

Chris shrugged, "I'll manage," he sighed. "I worked too damn hard to get you all together. To mold us into the group that we are today," he shook his head.

Hikaru sighed, "Did he say why he wanted to fire people?" he asked.

"The same bullshit that any manager would us," Chris rolled his eyes. "Tardiness, extended breaks and the so called "attitudes" that "customers" have been complaining about."

Scotty snorted, "What a git," he lifted his drink from the coffee table. "Ah never met anyone as ridiculous as Phil."

Gaila leaned forward so that her elbows were resting on her knees, "Maybe we could kill him."

A few snickers went around the room as she said this, "Mel already wants to kill him," Chris chuckled. "But I talked her out of that. I don't want to see any of you in jail."

Leonard stiffened at he mention of his sister, which Jim noticed. "There's gotta be something we can do!" Nyota said, shaking her head. "Maybe us girls can charge a sexual harassment suit against him."

Gaila nodded, "I'm telling you, he's creepy!" she exclaimed, as Scotty patted her knee.

"How about," Chris held his hand up. "How about we just try to get through the next few weeks? If you feel that it's necessary, make plans. I can only do so much with my position, but in the end it's up to Phil on what happens. We can fight it, but it can go either way," he sighed.

Everyone nodded, "I still want to kill him," Gaila muttered.

…..

After their meeting, the group split up to get ready for work. Joanna stayed with Melanie, while Jim and Leonard left together.

"I'm leaving," Chris said, coming into the kitchen.

Joanna was coloring at the table, while Melanie placed the dirty dishes into the washer.

"Have a good night at work," she said, kissing him. "Jo's spending the night so I'll try to have her in bed by the time you come home."

He grinned, "I'll see if Nyota has something sweet to spare," he wrapped his arm around her waist.

Melanie smiled and nodded, before turning back to the sink.

"Are you alright?" he asked, pulling her hair away from her neck. "You seem sad."

"I'm fine," she said, closing the door to the washer. "Just a little tired is all."

Chris nodded slowly, "Okay," he studied her closely. "I'll call you when I'm on break."

Melanie nodded and kissed him, "Be good," she murmured against his lips. "I'll see you later."

Pulling away, Chris made his way over to the table to see what Joanna was coloring. "Looks good, Kiddo," he said, ruffling her hair. "Looks like Jim don't ya think?"

Joanna looked up from her picture of Cinderella and smiled, "It's for Jim! Pavel calls him Cinderella all the time."

Melanie giggled from her spot by the counter, "He's got the blue eyes to match," she said.

Chris chuckled, "Be good Jo," he kissed the top of her head. "I'll see you later."

"Bye Chris!" Joanna waved, as he made his way to the hall.

"Love you!" Melanie shouted.

Chris grabbed the keys off the table and pulled the front door open, "Love you, too!"

…

Jim and Chris stood outside on their break, beers in hand, many hours later.

"I don't know," Chris shrugged. "Something's up with her. She was fine before you guys showed up."

"Maybe Bones said something to her," he shrugged, taking a sip of beer.

Chris sighed, "Yeah maybe," he kicked at a rock. "Then again, it's been tough adjusting to the time difference for her and then everything with work."

"Or maybe she's getting a cold?" Jim offered, as Chris nodded.

After a few seconds of silence, they both shook their heads.

"McCoy."

"Bones."

Chris cursed, "She was fine for two weeks and the four days we've been back," he lightly tapped his knuckles against he brick wall.

Jim shrugged, "I'll try and weasel it out of him," he said, draining the last of his drink. "Knowing his foot in mouth disease, Bones most likely said something stupid."

"You don't have to do that, "Chris shook his head, as Jim tossed the empty bottle into the trash can.

"Yes I do,' he nodded. "You're my friends and I don't like seeing Mel upset."

Chris nodded, knowing that he lost the argument, "Thanks Jim."

"You're welcome, old man," he slapped his shoulder. "Let's get back in there before Phil decides to fire us, huh?"

…..

By the time Chris got home, it was after twelve. The house was silent, save patter of paws, as the cats ran around the house. Locking the door, Chris pulled off his jacket and toed off his shoes.

"Callie! Claude!" he hissed, as they bolted into the living room. "Knock it off!"

Four green eyes turned to look at him as he stood in the entry way of the living room, blinking once. Callie meowed before jumping off the arm rest, running to twine her body around his ankles.

"Yes Callie," he shook his head. "I missed you too."

Carefully, Chris stepped over the cat and made his way into the kitchen, double-checking their bowl and water dish. Turning the lights out, he quietly made his way upstairs, checking on Joanna before making his way down the hall to Melanie's room.

Melanie was lying in bed, silent as ever. Carefully, Chris moved around the room, getting ready for bed. Turning the light off in the bathroom, he made his way around to the other side of the bed and climbed under the blankets, careful not to wake her.

Moving Claude over with his feet, Chris settled down against the pillow and shifted onto his side.

"Have a good night a work?" Melanie asked quietly, startling him.

"I thought you were sleeping?" he said, as she shifted under the blanket.

"In and out," she shrugged, as Callie stepped over her head to settle on the pillow. "Wanted to wait up for you."

Chris reached out and placed his hand on her hip, "If you're tired you should go to bed, Mel."

Scooting closer, Melanie pushed herself up against him. "It's fine," she mumbled, as he pulled the blanket over her.

They both laid in silence looking at one another in the dark, "Len's taking Jo to Florida for her birthday," she said quietly.

Chris looked at her before placing a kiss on her forehead, pulling her close.


	41. Chapter 41

June rolled around quickly, bringing a fluctuating weather cycle with it. One day it would be hot and steamy, requiring shorts and tank tops. The next, it would be chilly and everyone would have their jeans and parkas on. The rain never failed to make its appearance, whether it be a full days worth or a shower in the afternoon. As schools let out for the summer, Melanie and Chris saw more and more of Joanna at the house. She and Leonard managed to be civil towards each other for the sake of the little girl, planning out playdates and appointments to best fit their schedules. It still wasn't the best relationship, like they had before, but it was something.

…..

Melanie pulled the window in the kitchen up, backing away to let the breeze filter through the kitchen. It was only nine in the morning, yet the sun was shining and everything was hot.

"Chris, did you find that fan?" she yelled, pulling her hair up into a twist. "Goddamn."

Chris came in a few seconds later, carrying a portable fan from the basement. "You know," he set the device down on the table. "You have so much shit down there."

Melanie snorted as he went to plug the fan in, "Half of that shit belonged to my Great-Aunt, Mary Alice."

"So it's old shit?" he stood up, wiping his hands on his jeans. "Baby, if you had a flood all of that stuff would be destroyed."

She nodded, "I know. I have to get rid of it, but it's hard," she shrugged. "She left me this house and everything that was in it."

Chris moved over to her, wrapping his arms around her waist. "Maybe this weekend we could clean the basement out? Maybe bring some of that stuff up here and spruce the place up?"

Melanie hesistated, "I don't know, Chris," she looked away. "I really don't want to move everything around."

"Come on, it'll be fun!" he insisted. "I haven't had a project to do in years! Hell, the last time I ever fixed a place up was back when my Grandpa was alive," he smiled.

"What did you fix? A rocking chair?" she asked.

Chris chuckled, "No," he shook his head. "We managed to fix up a barn and two stables."

"You're not one of those people that makes model airplanes and stuff," she frowned. "Are you?"

"Too many small parts. Not enough patience for that," he laughed, before kissing her. "How about it? Maybe we could make shelves down there for all your books? I could make them for you."

Melanie shrugged, "Maybe," she patted his chest. "How about we just worry about making space for you stuff in my closet? Then we can worry about brining up stuff that's older than you."

…..

Nyota sighed as she set a tin of cookies down on the table, "Spock had to fly back last night for work," she sat down. "But he's coming back at the end of the month and staying until after the Forth of July."

Melanie smiled, "That's good, Ny!" she reached for a cookie. "I guess that makes you two a couple, huh?"

The pastry chef nodded, "I think so. I mean, I was so mad at him for acting all shady after New Years, but since he's been here.." she shook her head. "I think something might actually come out of it."

"I'm happy for you," Melanie nodded. "He's a nice guy too. Polite, smart.. he has a job and knows the business that you're in."

Nyota nodded, "He does," she had a dreamy smile on her face. "Okay, enough about me and Spock. How's the whole moving in thing going? Chris was talking about it yesterday during prep."

Melanie sighed, "It's been… difficult," she shrugged.

"Difficult? Why? How?" Nyota asked, frowning. "I thought you wanted him to move in?"

"No, I do!" Melanie nodded. "It's just.. he wants to change everything."

Nyota frowned, "Change everything? Like put his stuff out on the shelves? Mel, that's normal when couples move in together."

Melanie shook her head, "He wants to fix up the house and bring up stuff from the basement," she broke a cookie into pieces. "I mean, the other day he brought home paint swatches! Paint swatches, Ny!"

"You're house could use a nice coat of paint," Nyota shrugged. "Especially that living room. That green is awful!"

"He's driving me crazy! All this talk about cleaning out the basement and making it an office for me," she shook her head. "He wants to make shelves and put them up."

Nyota giggled, "That's really cute, Mel," she smiled. "Oh come on, don't give me that look! He loves you and wants to do something nice for you!"

Melanie sighed, "I know. And I love him too, but he's turning into Martha Stewart," she shook her head. "I didn't expect my husband to be like this."

Nyota's eyes went wide, "Hus- husband?"

The blonde blushed, setting her teacup down. "Well ya see…" she rubbed the back of her neck. "When Chris and I were on vacation… we got married."

"You what?" Nyota whispered, eyes wide. "Oh my god, Mel!"

"Don't freak out!" Melanie warned. "We don't even remember any of it because we got completely shitfaced beforehand."

Nyota covered her mouth, "Does your brother know?" she asked. When Melanie shook her head, Nyota cursed. "You know he's going to be so pissed at you!"

Melanie rolled her eyes, "Look, Chris and I are married and there's nothing we can do about that! I'm happy and he's happy! I'll deal with Len when the time comes!" she snapped.

"I'm sorry," Nyota snapped back. "I'm just making sure that you understand what this will do to your brother when he finds out!"

An uneasy silence fell between the two, as they sat across form each other at the table. The ticking of the clock and the hum from the fan were the only sounds in Nyota's kitchen, as they stared at anything but each other.

"So.." Nyota started, before pausing. "Is a nursery part of Chris Pike's remodeling plan?"

Melanie sighed, "If Chris asked me to stop taking birth control at this point I would lock him in the basement."

…..

A few days later, Melanie was overwhelmed with the amount of stuff Aunt Mary-Alice left behind. As Chris got on her nerves, begging to move something around, she reluctantly gave in and told him to have fun with the basement. Now, three days and numerous trips up and down the stairs, Melanie's living room was a disaster. Boxes upon boxes were piled up, along with old pieces of furniture and other knick-knacks.

Their first fight took place after she came home from work, finding the mess. Chris was confused at first, as she yelled at him, storming around the house as she got dinner ready. They ate in separate rooms, her in the den and him in the kitchen, before settling in for the night. They didn't crawl into bed until three in the morning, Chris exhausted from cleaning part of the basement he cleared out and Melanie from working on another project for work.

"You can't just pull everything up at once!" she whined, as they got ready for bed. "First of all, it's not safe to have all that shit around! Jo could get hurt!"

"Fine, I'll put it back downstairs tomorrow," he huffed, pulling the blankets down on the bed. "You said I could clean out the basement and I am! Now you're all pissed off about it!"

Melanie threw her dirty clothes into the hamper, "Jesus Christ! I am not arguing with you over this anymore! Just leave the fucking shit in the living room and I'll go through it this weekend!"

They laid in bed, wide awake and silent, for an hour, before turning to each other and apologizing.

"I'm sorry," she reached out for him. "I didn't mean to sound like a bitch to you, especially when you're finding stuff to keep you busy."

"I'm sorry too," he sighed. "I should've waited to bring that stuff up, that way you could've gone through it first."

The make-up sex was worth the small argument, as they both woke up refreshed and in a better mood; both unable to keep their hands off each other, as they fooled around in the kitchen and the den, before moving to tackle the mess.

…..

"You know what I was thinking?" Chris said, as he moved a stack of boxes over. "Maybe we could clear out that extra bedroom upstairs."

Melanie looked up from her spot near the stairs, "Why?" she asked, holding a stack of books in her hands. "What's wrong with it now?"

Chris shrugged, "Nothing," he set the box of old Christmas lights down. "I just figured we could use an extra room."

Setting the books down, Melanie got up and held her hands up. "Look, if you're imply that we put together a nursery, so help me god," she shook her head.

"I wasn't.." he frowned.

"Because if you still want to have sex with me,.." she warned.

"Mel, I figured we could turn it into a guest room," he shook his head. "Like if Jim or Pavel needs a place to stay or if someone from the family's in town? The one downstairs is fine but we could use another."

She nodded, "Okay," she brushed her hands on the towel that was draped on the railing. "I'll see what I can do."

Chris frowned, "Are you alright, Mel?" he asked. "You've been very weird about this whole thing; me moving in and wanting to clean up."

She hesitated and Chris sighed, "Honey, I wont get mad if that's what you're worried about."

"No I know that," Melanie nodded. It's just.." she let out a frustrated sighed. "All of this is just driving me crazy!"

Chris watched as she tugged at her hair, "I mean it's nice that you want to have your input on what this place looks like," he nodded. "But I feel like you want to change everything! I don't know what I want to do with half of this shit," she waved her hands at the mess. "God, I'm sorry!"

"Mel, it's fine," he said, as she covered her face with her hands.

"No it's not!" she sobbed. "I just feel like you're pushing me to do this and I just don't want to right now. I don't want to throw anything out because maybe my Dad would like to have something to remember his relatives or maybe there's stuff down here that Jo would want," she shook her head. "I just don't know!"

Chris moved around the table and stood in front of her, "Mel, don't cry," he said, as her eyes filled with tears. "Oh honey, I'm sorry."

Melanie stood still as he hugged her, "I didn't realize that you'd feel this way and if I did, I would've waited until you were ready."

He then pulled away to look down at her, "How about we just put an end to this tonight?" he asked, pushing her hair away from her face. "I'll make us some dinner and we can watch a movie? Save all this for another day?"

"Yo-you're not mad?" she asked, confused.

"Why would I be mad?" he frowned. "Mel, this is your stuff and you're right about having your Dad and Len come and look through it."

She reached up and wiped her face, "I just got excited," he shrugged, wiping the rest of her face with his finger. "Between getting married and moving in with you. I just figured maybe we could make a fresh start and put this place together."

"We could still do that though," she nodded slowly. "We still have to move all your things in."

"I know we do," he nodded. "But if this is making you upset, I can wait. All I need are my clothes and a few books."

But Melanie shook her head, "No, you're my husband and you live here now," she placed her hands firmly against his chest. "This is your home now and I don't want you to feel like I'm telling you that you can't move your stuff in here. I want you to because you've worked hard for your things."

Chris wrapped his arm around her waist, "So how about we figure out what to bring over?" he asked. "I probably wont need all of that stuff anyway."

She nodded, "Okay," she sighed. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry, "he kissed her forehead. "Lets go upstairs and have dinner."

They slowly made their way up the stairs, dodging the boxes on the steps, "These we could get rid of, "Melanie said, as she reached the door. "It's just broken glass and old rags."

"I will put them out after dinner, " Chris promised, as they stepped out into the hall. "I'll even move the garbage by the door."

Melanie turned around as he closed the door to the basement, "Thank you."

He smiled at her, "You're welcome," he kissed her quickly. "Go on and pick a movie. I'll start dinner and we can relax."

Nodding, Melanie moved off into the den as Chris moved into the kitchen. As he pulled the cabinets open, he began to wonder if his wife was being honest with him.


	42. Chapter 42

Melanie shifted on the sofa in the den, holding the IPad up as she read one of the many emails that flooded her account. On that rainy Monday morning, Melanie decided to take a personal day from work. Chris had gone out earlier that morning, leaving a warm kiss on her bare shoulder and a cup of coffee on the nightstand.

She'd texted him a few times throughout the morning, asking when he would be home for lunch or if he was heading to work early.

_I'll be home soon. Don't worry about lunch, _he texted her around eleven. _ I won't let you starve. _

"Where do you think he is, guys?" she snuck a peek at the cats. "Think he's buying something from the hardware store again?"

While they agreed on leaving the basement alone for the time being, Chris was itching to do other things around the house. Finally after days of pout-inducing torture, Melanie let him go through the house to see what needed to be done. At that point, they shuttled most of his belongings from his apartment. Her closet was full and the dresser, which was always half-full, was stocked with clothes. He had a spot in the shower for his shampoo and counter space for his razor and shaving cream.

"That's all you have?" she asked him, when he set the half empty can and razor down.

"Yeah," he nodded. "Why?"

Melanie shook her head and shrugged, "Just asking."

His books found various spots around the house, along with his CDs and movies. They managed to clear out the extra bedroom upstairs of junk, and placed extra furniture pieces inside from his apartment. Melanie hoped that would keep him busy, moving the few boxes he packed up into the house. But it took him two days to unload everything and he was twitching like a drug addict.

Within three weeks, he managed to fix the back porch and door, while giving it a fresh coat of paint. With Jim's help, they cleared out the gutters and cut down the overgrown branches that touched the roof. Melanie watched as they raked the front and backyard, wondering if Chris was going through a mid-life crisis.

"Maybe he's at work, " she yawned, setting the tablet down on the coffee table. "How about we just rest our eyes and wait for him to call?"

Snuggling down on the sofa, Melanie closed her eyes. She could feel the weight of four paws walking on her legs, before settling down on her belly. Too tired to move, Melanie reached out and patted the furry head a few times, before dozing off.

….

"Mel? I'm home!" Chris shouted, as he stepped into the house.

Closing the door, Chris tossed the keys onto the table and made his way through the house, peeking in every room.

"Mel?"

Making his way into the den, Chris stopped at the sight before him. Melanie was on her back out cold, while Callie draped her body across her chest, kneading her shoulder. Claude was curled up in an odd position on her belly, his paws draped over his face.

Watching the scene for a few minutes, Chris decided to let her sleep. Moving quietly across the room, he pulled the blanket off the back of the sofa and shook it out. Claude woke up to the gentle breeze that the blanket gave off and looked at him through squinted eyes.

"Sorry buddy," he whispered, as he set the blanket over them. "Go back to sleep."

Melanie moaned and shifted, before falling silent as the cats barely moved from the sudden movement. Stepping back, Chris picked up the empty coffee mug and started towards the kitchen. His news could wait a few hours.

…

When Melanie woke up later, the sun was setting and Chris had already left for work. She stumbled into the kitchen, hungry and moody. She knew that Chris had been home, taking note of the absent coffee mug which sat on the dish rack. On the fridge, Chris left a note for her, indicating that he made her food before leaving.

With a sigh, Melanie pulled the door open and found a chicken and mozzarella sandwich and a bowl of salad for her. Despite the pain in her back and feeling overtired, Melanie couldn't help but smile. While he drove her crazy with everything going on, Chris managed to do something sweet for her, making her forget that he wanted to start up another project in their house.

Grabbing the food, Melanie set it down on the kitchen table, before retrieving a glass of water. Double checking Callie and Claude's food bowl, Melanie grabbed a fork and made her way back to the table.

…

"You let me sleep all day and now I won't be able to sleep," Melanie whined, dropping face first onto the bed. "Now I'm going to be miserable all day tomorrow."

Chris turned the light off in the bathroom and made his way over to the bed, "I figured you could use the rest," he told her, as he crawled up next to her. "You've been busy with all those damn emails the last few days."

She groaned, "I still have to go through all of them tomorrow. Which will suck because I won't be able to keep my eyes open."

"Maybe I could help you with that," he whispered, leaning down to kiss the exposed skin on the back of her neck. "I could have you out cold in ten minutes."

Melanie snorted, "That doesn't sound as sexy as you think it does," she mumbled. "If this were our first night together, I'd be out the door before you could blink."

Chris chuckled, resting his forehead against her back. "I could though. If you wanted me to, that is."

Managing to roll onto her back, Melanie folded one arm up and under her head. Chris settled between her legs, resting his weight on one elbow above her.

"Ten minutes?" she asked, running her free hand down his arm. "It's starting to take you longer and longer to fool around, huh?"

Chris shot her a warning look, making her giggle. "You weren't complaining the other day in the laundry room."

"That was a sneak attack," she protested, as he nipped her collarbone. "You were totally plotting that entire thing!"

"Maybe I was," he shrugged. "Or maybe I wasn't. Guess you'll never know."

She sighed, "I guess we could fool around for ten minutes."

Chris snorted, "You _guess _?" he asked. "Well I guess I'll just lay over here in my corner, licking my wounds."

He went to roll off of her before she wrapped both legs around him, holding him tightly against her. "Nope," she shook her head. "We're having sex and that's final. In fact, you _owe _me this, because you left me to sleep for nine hours."

"I owe you sexual favors because you took a nine hour nap?" he asked, as she nodded.

"You'll owe me a lot more if you keep talking too," she smirked. "So I suggest you stop talking and start working."

Chris grinned as he slipped his hand under her shirt, "Maybe we'll aim for seven minutes?"

…..

Chris was on the sofa playing Angry Birds on Melanie's IPad, when she arrived home from work. It was after midnight, meaning it was a long day at the office, which meant that his wife most likely skipped meals to get her work done. Setting the tablet down, Chris got up and made his way into the kitchen.

"Hey," he moved towards the counter, as Melanie leaned against it. "How was work?"

She sighed, "Awful," she greeted him with a kiss. "You?"

"Busy," he shrugged. "Phil's handing out the new menu tomorrow."

Melanie watched as he moved to the fridge, "He's really doing it?" she asked as he nodded. "What a fucking asshole."

"Tell me about it," he pulled the door open. "Are you hungry? I can put something together for you."

Kicking off her heels, Melanie hopped onto the counter. "What did you eat?" she asked, crossing her ankles.

"I ate this weird Asian thing that Jim whipped up," he moved a few containers around. "Too spicy."

"Says the man who puts half a bottle of chili powder into meatloaf," she snorted. "Do we have any of that left over pasta thing you made the other night?"

"The carbonara?" he asked, getting a nod in return. "Yeah there's some left. How about you go on up and change and I'll heat it up for you?"

Melanie nodded and climbed off the counter, giving him a quick kiss as she moved past him. Rushing up the stairs, she quickly made her way into the bedroom and stripped out of her clothes. Pulling on a pair of pajamas, Melanie washed her hands and pulled her hair back into a ponytail.

"Hmmm I smell food!" she yelled out, taking the stairs two at a time. "Yummy, yummu food!"

Stepping back into the kitchen, Chris was placing the plate onto the table for her. "Water? Wine?" he asked, as she sat down.

"Water's fine," she picked up the fork, twirling the spaghetti around.

Once he filled a glass up with water, Chris made his way back to the table and set it down next to the dish. He then took a seat at the head of the table and watched as she ate, nibbling on the piece of bread he cut for her. Once the plate was cleared and the glass half empty, Melanie sat back in the chair and sighed.

"You're a good cook," she sighed, patting her stomach. "That was delicious."

He snorted, "Why didn't you eat at work?" he asked, as she picked up the glass.

Melanie shrugged, "I guess I got too caught up with everything going on at the office. Gaila needed help with this project her and her research partner are doing," she sighed. "Then there's my work that needs to be sent out before July first.

"How come Gail gets a research assistant?" he asked.

"Because there's not a single grad student on the West Coast who specializes in my field. It's all about World War II, The Civil War and the modern societies,' she said.

Chris nodded slowly, "I just don't want you to stress yourself out, Mel. If you need the extra hands, you should get someone to split the work with you."

Melanie nodded and patted his hand, "I know. We're getting a bunch of applications at the end of July, so maybe I'll get lucky this year."

Standing up, Chris carried the dish and cup to the sink. "Ready for bed?" he asked, as she got up.

"Yes," she yawned. "I think I'll go in later tomorrow though."

They started out of the kitchen, making their way through the living room to the stairs. Chris quickly grabbed the IPad off the sofa and resumed his game.

"What are you doing?" Melanie asked, looking down at the screen. "You're still playing that game?"

Chris looked up at her, "What? It's addicting!" he exclaimed, before sending a blue bird across the sky. "Dammit!"

Melanie snorted, "Oh god," she pushed the door open to the bedroom. "I've lost you to the Angry Birds."

She could hear the pigs snorting, signaling that Chris lost the level again. The stream of curses that left his mouth was also another sign that he lost, as he sat down on the bed.

"This fucking level," he grunted, as he tapped at the screen. "How can anyone find this fun?"

Melanie pulled the blankets up and snuggled against the pillow, "Maybe you should wear your glasses? All that squinting isn't good for you."

Chris looked at her, "My eyes are fine," he said, turning back to the game.

"Put the thing down and snuggle with me," she pouted. "You can kill pigs tomorrow before work."

"Just one more time, please?" he begged. "I think I got it!"

Melanie rolled her eyes and rolled over, resting her head on the pillow. She closed her eyes and waited for him to finish the level and turn the lights off. Instead, Melanie was startled as Chris cursed.

"You little fuckers!"

Groaning, Melanie covered her head with a pillow as the bed shook. She then felt Chris behind her, wrapping his arm around her waist. Pushing the pillow off her head, Melanie pushed her back against his chest, locking her leg between his.

"Goodnight," she yawned, as he kissed her cheek.

…..

"Mel! I've got to tell you something!"

Looking up from her work, Melanie was greeted by her husband. "What's going on?" she asked, dropping the pen onto the table. "Did Phil suddenly flee the state?"

He chuckled, "Unfortunately no," he shook his head. "But I think this is a hell of a lot better than Phil and work."

She nodded, "Okay, what's going on?" she asked, pulling her leg up.

Chris sat down at the table, reaching across the table to take her hand. "I looked up our marriage license from Puerto Rico," he started. "And it turns out that we're not legally married in the United States because we didn't have proper paperwork and we didn't take this blood test called a VDRL."

"We need a blood test to get married?" she frowned. "We are not sending vials of our blood to Puerto Rico, Chris. That's like a recipe for disaster! They could use it to link us to a crime!"

He shook his head, "No, no. We don't have to send anything to Puerto Rico," he said. "But we can make it official here in Seattle. Mel, lets get married again! You can get all dressed up and we can head down to town hall and make it official."

"What?"

"Mel, you said you wanted to get married again. That way you could remember everything about it. The dress and flowers, all of that. We can go down in twenty minutes and get married. We'll even stop at the store and get you a thing of flowers if you want. "

Melanie stared at him in total silence and he smiled and nodded at her.

"Melanie. Will you marry me? Again?"


	43. Chapter 43

After talking him out of a quickie wedding, insisting that they had all the time in the world to get married, Melanie tried to get back to her work. When she couldn't focus, the laptop was turned off and she went out back with a bottle of wine. While she wanted to make it official, there was a large part of her that wanted to wait. Wait to do it right; a planned ceremony, invitations, dress shopping and cake testing. A fixed relationship between herself and Leonard. When it all came down to it, Melanie could not get married without her brother nearby. To not have his support in the first place, killed her. To get married and not have him at the wedding? She would've searched for the tallest building in the city and jumped off it.

…..

Chris set the platter of asparagus on the counter, "Do you think it was a bad idea? Asking Melanie to get married in town hall?"

Nyota looked up from the cake she had been icing, "Well, what did she say?"

"That we had all the time in the world to get married," he shrugged. "And that she wanted to find a proper dress to do it in."

"Maybe she wants to plan a party before getting married?" Nyota suggested. "I don't know."

After finding out that Nyota knew of their wild wedding in Puerto Rico, Chris made her swear not to tell the others. He threatened to toss her fancy fondant kit in the oven if she opened her mouth, to which she promised with panic that she wouldn't.

Chris started washing the asparagus off in the sink, "The look on her face though," he shook his head. "You'd think I'd suggested an open relationship or that I was dying of a mysterious illness."

"I know she's under a lot of stress at work," Nyota said, picking up the icing bag. "Pavel had to get help from Gaila for his final since she backed out of their study session."

"And she's been overwhelmed with all these universities and research programs emailing her," he sighed. "Last night she received fifty-six emails in three minutes. Fifty-six!"

Nyota winced, "Yeah, I'm glad I bake for a living. Couldn't imagine dealing with all that shit."

Chris brought the freshly washed asparagus back to the counter and started prepping them for one of the main courses. "But then again, she's been all weird since I moved in. Did she tell you about the freak out over my suggestion of replacing the blinds in our bedroom?" he asked.

"No," Nyota shook her head. "But I'm sure that was amusing."

"Jesus, she was screaming about how I was driving her crazy and that the blinds were fine," he shook his head. "Meanwhile, they're broken! Callie and Claude like to shove their bodies through slats to look at the lovely bird family in the tree!"

Nyota giggled, "I'm sorry," she said, as Chris glared at her. "But just leave it, Chris. You don't want her screaming at you for anything so just leave it be."

The muffled sounds of chatter from outside signaled the arrival of the others, meaning that this conversation would have to end.

"Look," Nyota set her spatula in the sink. "How about you bring home some dinner and desert and just avoid all talk of marriage? Just be the sweet and loveable man that you are to her."

"YOOO ANYONE HOME!" Jim shouted from outside.

Chris nodded, "Thanks for your advice, Ny," he sighed. "Really."

She smiled at him, "You're welcome."

Jim came waltzing in a few seconds later, "Hello my lovelies!"

"Oh god," Nyota groaned. "Is that a smile I see? We aren't allowed to smile here!"

Jim dropped his keys on the shelf with the others, "Todays a lovely day! The sun is out," he set his bag down. "The birds are singing and we're alive!"

"Not for long," Chris muttered, glancing at Nyota. "Hey did you by any chance put in that order for sage?"

"Yeah," Jim shrugged. "Why?"

Chris turned around from the spice shelf, "Well, you ordered triple the amount. We wont go through sixteen pounds of sage this week."

"But Hikaru said he needed some too!" Jim exclaimed. "I ordered enough sage to make with that fancy chicken dish we have to cook now and Hikaru wanted some for this spice mix he wants to try."

Scotty and Pavel made their way into the kitchen, both in a deep conversation about the previous night's episode of Breaking Bad. "Look, just tell Hikaru to take some it home? I don't need to listen to Phil bitch at the end of the week when he gets the bills together."

Jim nodded, "Fineeeee," he huffed, as Hikaru walked in. "TAKE YOUR SAGE HOME!"

Hikaru jumped, "Dude, do you have to yell?" he frowned. "And what are you talking about?"

Pulling him by the arm, Jim led Hikaru to the stock room, while the others got ready for the prep shift. Leonard was the last to arrive, quietly setting his things down before checking on his orders. He and Chris made eye contact briefly, before the Southerner stormed off in the direction that Jim and Hikaru went in. With a sigh, Chris moved back to his work, hoping Nyota's advice would help him.

….

Chris managed to get out of work by eleven thirty, bringing home dinner and one of Nyota's masterpieces. The drive home was quick, much to Chris' relief as the sky lit up with bolts of lightning. He made it into the house just as the downpour began, counting is lucky stars.

"Mel? I'm home!"

A few seconds later, Melanie looked down at him from the staircase. "Hey," she leaned against the bannister.

"I brought dinner," he held up the bag. "And dessert."

Melanie nodded, "I'll be down in a minute," she pushed away from the bannister. "Just need to send a file out."

Chris nodded and made his way into the kitchen, setting the food down on the table. He then quickly rushed upstairs to change, splashing water on his face. Melanie tinkered away in the spare bedroom, using the new desk as her workspace. Instead of bothering her, Chris made his way downstairs and set the table. He was cracking a bottle of wine open, when Melanie came in.

" Everything work out?" he asked, as she peered down at the food he brought home.

"Yeah," she nodded, setting the container down.

She then made her way over to him, wrapping her arms around his waist and pressing her chest into his back. "I turned all my e-mail notifications off for the night," she said, resting the side of her head against his back.

"You did?"

She nodded, "I want to spend the night with you and not with professors and scientists."

Chris turned around and wrapped his arm around her, "Thank you," he whispered, before kissing her. "Hungry?"

Melanie nodded, "Very," she grinned.

….

Later on, cuddled under the blankets, Melanie and Chris were wide-awake and talking quietly.

"I'm sorry for being a pain in the ass," he said, rubbing her hip with his fingers. "I know how stressed you've been with work and everything else."

Melanie rolled onto her side, tucking her leg between his, "I'm sorry for being a raging bitch. I hate yelling at you."

"When things calm down," he kissed her shoulder. "Maybe, if you want, we can head to California? Take another vacation and relax?"

She pondered on the thought, "No alcohol, if that's what you're worried about," he added.

"Maybe we could see your parents? Mary, Jake and Tommy as well," she shrugged. "Or what about Canada?" she asked, her eyes wide with joy. "We can get a little cabin and be surrounded by total silence."

"You'd want that?" he asked, as she nibbled lightly on his collarbone. "Two of us, alone in the woods?"

She nodded, "We can sleep all day and do whatever we want," she sighed. "No phones, computers or any other distractions. Just you, me and a really big bed."

Chris chuckled, "You're not planning on murdering me and leaving my body in the woods are you?" he asked, as she snuggled closer to him.

"Of course not," she gasped. "Why would I take you out of the country when I can murder you here?"

"Oh you little tease!" he scowled, tickling her. "The way you are in bed is enough to kill me."

Melanie snorted, "At this rate," she squirmed under his hands. "We'll kill each other!"

Chris pulled her against his side, his arm wrapped tightly around her waist. With a content sigh, Melanie pressed her face into the crook of his should and relaxed in his embrace.

"I love you," he whispered, running his fingers down the back of her head.

Melanie shivered at the gesture; tingles running down her neck and back. "I love you, too," she sighed. "That feels really good."

Glancing at the clock, Chris saw that it was a little after two. Pulling the blanket up higher, Chris reached up to turn the light out.

Settling back down, he tightened his grip on Melanie, who was half asleep by then. He continued rubbing the back of her head slowly, to which Melanie moaned softly in response.

She then let out a violent shiver, as his fingers reached the base of her neck, her hips rolling forward at his side. "S-stop," she gasped.

He did, "What happened?" he asked, slightly alarmed. "Did I hurt you?"

Melanie shook her head, "No. That one stroke sent tingles all over my body," she relaxed her limbs. "A little too strong for me."

He snorted, dropping his hand from her head, "Sorry," he kissed her forehead. "Go to sleep. It's late."

"You too," she mumbled, resting her arm against his chest. "Think of all the cabin sex we could have in Canada."

Chris' laughter echoed off the walls , as Melanie continued to babble in her sleep.


	44. Chapter 44

July came with a vengeance, bringing high record temperatures and apocalyptic thunderstorms. As the holiday drew near, Nyota began planning her annual Fourth of July party. It would be the first time in six years that her party would fall on a Sunday, the fourth. In previous years, the party would always be a few days before or after, resulting in Jim brining down the fireworks from a friend he knew further north.

"Do you think we brought enough beer?" Melanie asked, as Chris parked outside of the house. "I forgot who else was brining it."

"We have enough beer, Mel," he shut the car off. "Nyota has liquor and Scotty said he was brining a big loot."

She sighed, "Okay," she smiled. "Just want to make sure I'm not forgetting anything."

He smiled at her, "We're good, Mel," he leaned over to kiss her. "Come on. We don't want everyone to worry," he opened the door. "Then they'll send Jim out to look for us."

Grabbing the beer and other necessities that Nyota asked for, Chris and Melanie made their way up the driveway towards the gate to the yard. They could hear the low beat of music playing, the smell of the barbeque running. There was a loud clatter of glass in a trashcan, along with the shouts from what sounded like Scotty and Jim.

"Guess they've started without us," Chris said, shifting a case of beer from one hand to the other. "Hey! Anyone gonna let us in!?" he shouted.

A few seconds later, the gate swung open and they were greeted by Hikaru. Attached to his back, Joanna held onto him tightly, grinning at her Aunt and Chris.

"Hi!" she waved at them.

"Hey guys!," Hikaru grinned. "We were startin' to wonder if you two were going to show or not."

Chris and Melanie moved past him, waiting for him to close the gate again. "Ohh nice! You brought a Stella!" he said, eyeing the case of Stella Artois in Chris's hands. "And…. I'm guessing that's a bag with girly liquor."

Melanie looked down at the plastic bag in her hand with shock, while Chris snorted. "Told you," he whispered, as he carried the case towards the patio.

"Hey! Boss-man!" Jim cheered, leaning back in his chair. "About time you brought your old ass over! Where's the lovely lady?"

Chris set the case down on the table, "She's here," he nodded his head toward the side of the house. "Along with her girly alcohol."

Hikaru, Melanie and Joanna made their way around the house and in view of the patio. She and Hikaru were bickering about the qualifications of what made certain liquors girly, when everyone greeted her at once.

"Jesus," she gasped, clutching her chest. "Don't do that!"

Scotty snorted, "So what's this girly shite yeh brought?" he asked, setting his drink down. "Yer boyfriend shoulda stop yeh from buying it!"

Jim snorted, "Twenty bucks says it's three bottles of Pinnacle whipped cream, cotton candy and," his face was scrunched up as he though. "…tropical punch."

"DAMMIT!" she stomped her foot, earning a few chuckles. "You told them!" she glared at Chris. "That's why you were so hush-hush when you had the phone out!"

Chris held up his hands, "I did no such thing!"

Nyota stepped out of the back door, carrying a platter of mixed fruit and vegetables. "Hey!" she smiled, taking sight of them both. "Did you just get here?"

Pavel took the platter from her so she could hug her friends, "Yes," Melanie kissed her cheek. "And I'm being tortured for my drink choices."

"Hey, I just won twenty bucks," Jim shrugged, before turning to Scotty. "Which I better receive by midnight tonight."

Nyota rolled her eyes, "Bring it in here!" she said, nodding to the kitchen. "Chris, you can put that in the ice bucket over there."

Leading Melanie into the kitchen, Nyota moved back to the counter and started grabbing the ingredients for a dip. "Whatcha bring?" she asked, as Melanie set the bag down.

"Whipped cream, cotton candy and tropical punch," she said, pulling the blue bottles out. "If I'm going to drink, I want to have something sweet!"

Noyta grinned, "I have just the stuff to mix with these," she said, as Spock came into the kitchen. "Oh hey! Was everything alright at home?"

Spock gave her a brief nod, "Indeed," he then turned to Melanie. "It's a pleasure to see you again Melanie."

She smiled; "I'm glad you could be here!" she nodded. "Chris is outside with the boys and Jo."

Excusing himself, Spock made his way out onto the patio, leaving the girls alone. "Ohhh, he's here for your party.." Melanie grinned. "I guess that means someone's getting lucky tonight!"

Nyota rolled her eyes, "Oh stop," she stirred the sour cream and mix together. "Oh, you're brother is here. Or was," she shrugged. "I had to send him out to get more burgers because numb-nuts Jim only brought one box."

"Sounds about right," she snorted. "Gaila said she'd be here in an hour. Something about having to get organic carrots?"

"Oh god," Nyota groaned. "This bitch started this organic diet last week, because she thinks she's fat."

Melanie made a face, "I have no idea," Nyota said, picking up the bowl. "Scotty's even more confused because in his eyes, Gaila is gorgeous and a carrot is a carrot."

"That's what I say!" she exclaimed. "Fucking organic food."

Nyota nodded, "So, while she's on the hunt for organic carrots, we'll be eating our low-class ones."

…..

By the time Gaila arrived- with her bag of organic carrots, along with Leonard and the large stock of burgers, everyone was under one roof and enjoying their time together. The boys argued over the grill, and who was qualified at flipping burgers and hot dogs. The girls- plus Janice, Christine and Joanna- huddled around the counter in the kitchen preparing salads and other bits.

"Daddy said we need more cheese!" Joanna yelled, running in from the patio. "And no organic cheese!"

Gaila pouted, while Nyota grabbed the package of cheese from the refrigerator, handing it to Joanna.

"Thank you!" she squealed, running back to the door. "DADDY! CHEESE!"

Melanie snorted, "God, I can't believe we're all under the same roof again," she shook her head. "Maybe we should hide all the booze."

"Hey, at least Leonard said hello to you!" Gaila smiled. "And was that a hug I saw too?"

When he arrived, Leonard greeted his sister and gave her a small-awkward hug. While it shocked her, Melanie couldn't help but long for her brother, wishing that things were settled between them. Other than Chris and her Daddy, Leonard was always the best at giving bear hugs whenever she needed one.

"Don't get too carried away," Melanie warned. "Just because he said hi and gave me a hug, doesn't mean things are smooth between the two of us."

Christine picked up the bowl of salad and shrugged, "But this could be the start of reconciliation!" she smiled, before moving to the door.

….

Dinner went smoothly, as everyone crowded around the table and ate. Chris and Melanie were tucked in at one end of the table, while Leonard sat between Jim and Hikaru at the other.

"So! Here's to a very Happy Fourth!" JIm said, holding up his bottle of beer. "And to Miss Nyota, for opening her house to a group of misfits and putting together a delicious meal!"

"Here, here!" everyone cheered, holding up their drinks.

Nyota blushed and looked down at her dish, while Joanna leaned over to say her thank you's. "I like this potato thing you made," she said, as Jim placed more potato salad on her dish. "Daddy doesn't know how to cook potatoes."

A round of laughter went off, as Leonard blushed, glaring at Jim when he gave Joanna high five. Gailia munched away on her organic carrots and a little puddle of dip, before Scotty placed a burger, potato salad and cole slaw on her dish.

"Yeh eat this now," he said, nodding to the plate "Ah won't settle with yeh eating this dainty shite."

Gaila pouted but Scotty shook his head, "Eat," he simply said, and Gaila knew she lost the battle.

"What's the difference between organic carrots and regular carrots?" Chris whispered to Melanie, as she stabbed at her salad. "In the end, it's just a carrot."

She snickered, "You're asking the wrong person, hon. I don't even understand the organic movement. Food is food, regardless of what's put into it."

They continued chatting and eating, talking about their past week at work and what their plans were for that weekend since Phil closed the restaurant for a "business trip" in Los Angles.

"Okay!" Jim set his napkin down. "I don't know about all of you, but I plan on lighting some fireworks!"

Joanna squealed, "Can I help!?"

"Hold on Jo," Leonard said, holding up his hand. "You're too young to be playin' with fire!"

Joanna pouted; "Please?" she batted her eyelashes at him.

But Leonard shook his head, "No, Joanna. I'm sorry, but you can't be playin' with that stuff."

She huffed and climbed off the chair, running to sit with Melanie. "What's wrong, baby?" Melanie asked, pulling her up onto her lap. "Why such a long face?"

"Daddy wont let me play with the fireworks that Jim got," she pouted. "I wanna play with them!"

Chris set his beer down, "You don't want to play with those, Jo," he shook his head. "Last year, Jim burned off half his eyebrows with fireworks."

Joanna's eyes went wide, "He did?" she gasped, as Chris nodded. She then let out a squeak and turned around to look for Jim. "JIM! JIM! NO FIREWORKS! CHRIS SAYS YOU HAD NO EYEBROWS!"

Scotty let out a muffled shriek, rolling in his seat as he laughed. Jim looked over at Chris, who was smiling and glared at him. "Way to ruin the fun!" he snapped.

"Hey! I'm just looking out for you!" Chris shrugged, while the others laughed. "I mean, you do want to keep your eyebrows intact this year, right?"

Jim rolled his eyes and sat back down, muttering about Chris ruining the fun and being a "typical old man."

Melanie shrugged, "I guess we won't be seeing any fireworks show this year," she said, as Joanna groaned.

"Oh no,' Scotty shook his head. "Jimmy boy will manage to blow all of those firecrackers off by the end of the night."

…..

True to Scotty's word, Jim had managed to blow up half of the fireworks that he purchased. By then the sun had already set, and Jim was anxious to blow something up. Luckily, several other people in the area had already set their rockets off by that point. The sky lit up in a various array of colors, the air thick with the smell of smoke. So along with Hikaru and Pavel, they snatched an empty beer bottle and brought it out to the street and started preparing their ammunition. Leonard had Joanna on the lawn with Melanie and the girls, while he and the others stood at the end of the driveway.

"What will JIm burn off this year?" Janice asked.

"I hope it's his shirt," Christine giggled, watching as Jim bent down to fix the firecracker in the bottle. "Or his pants."

The girls watched as the boys struggled to set off the rockets, as the first four wouldn't light. Finally, after the fifth try, one rocket managed to go off.

"This is stupid!" Leonard yelled, as Jim and set another rocket down.

Melanie was looking at the sky, as Joanna pointed out a firework show that was going off down the block. "I know Jo," she held the girl by the waist. "They're pretty."

A loud bang and shriek made her jump, as she quickly pulled her gaze away from the sky and towards the street.

"DAMMIT JIM!" Leonard screeched. "WHAT'D YOU BLOW OFF THIS TIME?"

Jim was hopping around, waving his hand furiously. "FUCKER!" he screamed, as the others laughed.

Nyota pulled herself up off the grass and stormed down the lawn, "Inside!" she ordered. "NOW! And get rid of those damn things!"

The girls scattered to see what happened, while Gaia went off to find Scotty. Joanna bolted towards her father, who was cleaning up the mess that was left behind, passing Chris as she moved.

"I guess our show has ended," he sighed, getting down next to her on the grass. "I hope you enjoyed it.

Melanie snickered, "What did he blow off? Fingers?" she asked.

"More like his ego," he snorted, as a rocket went off down the block. "Those are nice," he said, nodding to the sky.

Melanie nodded, "Too bad Jim couldn't get any of those," she sighed. "Would've been a spectacular show."

Chris propped himself up on a his elbow, "I'll show you a spectacular show when we get home," he grinned, making her giggle.

Melanie leaned down and kissed him, placing her hand on his arm to steady herself. "Counting on it," she gasped against his lips, before kissing him again.

A loud shriek broke them apart, as they looked over to see Gaila hugging Scotty. A few seconds later, Gaila held up her arm and waved it around.

"I'm getting married!" she exclaimed, giggling and hopping around.

Melanie gasped as her best friend tackled Scotty with a kiss, before pulling him up the front steps and into the house. Sitting with her eyes wide, Melanie felt Chris's gaze upon her as she stared off into space. When she finally looked at him, she saw the look of puzzlement on his face along with hope.

"Excuse me," she muttered, stumbling up to her feet. "I-I have to go to the bathroom."

Then she bolted, running up the lawn to the front steps of Nyota's porch.

"MEL!" he shouted after her, as she ran.

Instead of stopping, Melanie ran right through the front door and into the house.


	45. Chapter 45

The drive home was silent, as Chris and Melanie stared ahead at the empty streets of their neighborhood. While Melanie rushed into the house, Chris took his time as he retrieved the extra liquor and food that Nyota insisted they'd take home. By the time he got into the house, Chris could hear the shower running upstairs and the meowing from Callie and Claude in the kitchen.

Melanie made her way downstairs a half an hour later, as Chris was trying to organize the refrigerator to fit the extra food on the shelves. He looked over at her, taking in her appearance; shorts and a tank top, with her hair hanging wet down her back and shoulders. Part of him wanted to grab her, throw her down on the table and have his way with her. But the look on her face, one of sheer panic and exhaustion kept him from doing so.

Instead, he closed the door to the refrigerator and moved to lean against the counter. After a few minutes of tense silence, he finally spoke.

"Wanna tell me what's going on?"

She looked at him, the toes of her left foot twisting into the tile of their floor.

"Mel," he sighed. "I can't read your damn mind, so just tell me what's got you all skittish and locking yourself in the bathroom at our friends party."

Melanie closed her eyes, "I know how this conversation is going to go," she said quietly. "I knew it the moment Gaila flashed her ring."

Chris shook his head, "Dammit Mel," he snapped.

"Don't pretend that you're not going to ask me, Chris," she snapped back.

"Well what do you want me to do?" he asked. "Huh? I asked you to marry me and you said no!"

"Because we're already married!" she exclaimed.

He scoffed, "It's not even legal!" he shot back, making her roll her eyes. "Excuse me for wanting to make it official instead of going around pretending to be something that we're not!"

"Why must everything with you have to be either now or nothing?" she asked. "Can't we just keep things slow?"

"Do you want to marry me?" he asked, quietly now. Melanie stared at him, "Well? Do you?" he raised his voice.

"Of course I do!" she nearly sobbed, the pain flashing across her face. "I wanted to marry you the moment I met you!"

"So then why are you hesitating?" he asked. "If you 've wanted to marry since the day we met, then why wont you?"

She ran her fingers through her hair, the drops of water running down the front of her shirt. "I want to wait, Chris," she said. "Can't that be enough?"

He shook his head, "No," he admitted honestly. "You were all fine after getting over the shock of getting married in Puerto Rico; doodling on the hotel stationary with your new name and telling the hotel staff that you were my wife," he slapped his hand against the counter. "But as soon as we come home, you do a one-eighty and you're screaming and yelling about how I'm driving you crazy."

Melanie covered her face with her hands, "Can we not do this?" she asked. "Please!"

"No, we're doing this," he snapped. "Just tell me why you don't want to marry me."

She remained silent, "Tell me, Mel."

"God!" she screeched. "Fine! I wont marry you because I want to wait until everything is right with my brother!"

Chris stared at her, "Happy?" she hissed. "I want to marry you with my brother there! Hell, I want my father to see me get married too! It's only fair!"

He didn't respond at first, which pissed her off. "Oh, so now you have nothing to say? Mr. Christopher Pike is at a loss for words!"

"So then fucking tell your brother that you want to get married with him there!" he yelled.

"If only it were easy!" she yelled back. "I can't just go up to him and say, "Hey Len, I know you're mad at me and you hate Chris, but we're getting married and for one day could you please put those feelings aside and join us? You can go back to hating us the day after!" If only it were that easy!" she snapped.

Chris shook his head, "Then what are we doing?" he asked. "Are we going to go back to telling everyone that we're boyfriend and girlfriend? Huh? Do you still want to go around pretending that that marriage license is valid?"

Melanie let out a frustrated growl, "Dammit Chris! Just stop!" she shouted.

"NO!" he yelled.

Melanie turned to look at him, her eyes wide with shock. "No," he repeated. "We put an end to this tonight. Either you tell me what you want or.."

"Or what?" she interrupted him. "What? Either I marry you or it's over?" she asked.

He didn't answer and she let out a startled laugh, "You're unbelievable!" she shook her head.

"No, I'm preparing myself, Mel," he corrected her. "I just need to know where we go from this."

Melanie shook her head, "Why are you doing this?" she asked, her eyes filling with tears. "Why are you pushing me to make this choice now? You told me that you were fine with waiting!"

"Yeah well.. I lied," he snapped.

She fell silent, looking down at the floor. "I won't marry you until I fix things with my brother."

Chris let out a short laugh, shaking his head. "Unbelievable," he muttered, as she looked up at him.

"For all we know, Len and I could work things out by the time September comes around!" she exclaimed.

"Or it could take years!" he yelled. "Until then, you'll keep putting our marriage off and the next thing you know, you'll start holding off on having kids!"

Melanie let out a screech, "GOD! NOW I KNOW WHY YOU'VE BEEN ALONE FOR TEN YEARS!

He stared at her with shock, his mouth open in utter silence. "You wanna know why?" he asked, almost deadly.

"Oh please," she huffed. "Fucking enlighten me, Christopher!"

"Because I never met anyone who was worth my time," he said. "Then I met you and I figured, hell I hoped, that you were worth the time and effort. I wanted to show you off to everyone. This smart, sexy, gorgeous woman, who wanted me because of who I was; not because I had money or a career."

Melanie remained silent as he continued, "Then you said you wanted to get married and have children and I knew I hit the lottery with you. But now here you are, months later, and you're singing a different tune."

"Truth is," he shook his head slowly. "I don't think you ever wanted to get married. At least not to me."

But Melanie was shaking her head, "You're wrong," she gasped, on the verge of openly crying. "I do want to marry you, Chris."

He shook his head, "No you don't. If you did, you would've done it already. You would've went to your brother and told him about it and made the fucking effort to do so," he said. "But instead, you kept putting it off and extending that distance between you both."

She sobbed, "So what? It's my fault that I walk on eggshells around my brother? That I live in fear every fucking day, waiting for him to turn around and tell me that I can't see Jo anymore?"

"If you loved me and were serious about us, then you would've told him from the beginning," he was finally letting it out. "Instead you hid this relationship- you hid me- like it was a dirty little secret."

Melanie turned away from him, wiping furiously at her eyes. "So," she sniffed, turning to look at him. "What now? You want me to put a smile on my face and tell you that I'll marry you tomorrow? Is that what you want? Then what? Call your parents first and tell them the happy news, because evidently they're the only ones who are happy about this relationship. The only _family- _besides Jo and our friends, who support us."

Chris shook his head, "I don't want you to do anything," he shrugged, before pushing away from the counter.

She watched as he walked past her, heading towards the basement door, pulling it open. As the door slammed shut behind him, Melanie couldn't help but fall to her knees and cry.

….

The sun was rising when she woke up the next morning, cracking through curtains. Groaning, Melanie rolled over and reached out for Chris, hoping to snuggle against him. Instead, she was met with his side of the bed, empty and cold. Sitting up with a jolt, Melanie blinked a few times and quickly kicked the blankets off.

"Chris?" she called out, turning the light on.

Suddenly it hit her; the argument they had the night before about getting married. Started all because Gaila and Scotty got engaged at Nyota's party, opening a can of worms between herself and Chris.

"Chris?" she called out. "Where are you?"

Melanie noticed that a few of his things were missing on the other night stand, as well as his shoes by the closet door; which was opened at the moment. Then she saw the empty hangers and the missing suitcase, which then sent her into a panic.

Flying out of the bedroom and down the stairs, Melanie ran into the kitchen and saw that his keys were gone.

"No," she gasped, shaking her head. "No, no, no."

There was a piece of paper folded up where his keys should've been, his messy scrawl across the notepad paper. _Mel. _With trembling hands, Melanie picked up the folded piece of paper and opened it.

_ I'll pick up the rest of my stuff later. I'm sorry. _

_-Chris. _

Letting the note fall from her fingers, Melanie felt as if she were drowning. She felt sick to her stomach, as the chills took over. Tugging at her hair; now frizzy and unmanageable, she let out a strangled sob. Chris had left her in the middle of the night. It was over. And she was alone.. again.


	46. Chapter 46

Unable to stay in her own home, Melanie packed a bag and Callie and crashed at Nyota's house. For almost two weeks, she avoided work, phone calls and seeing anyone else, hiding in the guestroom. She didn't eat, making herself sick. At night, Nyota would lie in bed and hear the sobs coming from down the hall. By the second night of her stay, Nyota ended up spending half the night with Melanie, while Spock stayed in her bedroom.

Since she was on vacation from work, Nyota had to wait until the following Monday to confront him. Leaving a hysterical woman at her home, Nyota arrived early to work, ready to kill. When she stepped into the kitchen, she spotted her co-workers at their stations, prepping for that night's meals.

"Nyota," Chris turned to look at her. "You got another delivery of some fondant stuff. Jim left it in the- OW!"

He never finished his sentence, because Nyota's hand shot right across his face. "What the fuck was that for?!" he exclaimed.

"You bastard! YOU LEFT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT?!" she shrieked, as Jim quickly went to pull her away. "You are a fucking coward!"

"What's this all about?" Scotty asked, setting down the crate of whiskey ont eh counter. "Lass, why are yeh hitting people?"

"This idiot," she pointed to Chris. "Went and left Melanie in the middle of the fucking night!"

"You what?!" Jim yelled.

"You and Mel broke up!?" Hikaru gasped.

Leonard stood quietly at his station, watching the scene unfold before him; his co-workers both shocked and angry at the sudden news.

Nyota nodded, "They had a huge fight after the party and he fucking left her in the middle of the night, leaving a note!" she shook her head. "I HOPE YOU'RE PROUD!"

Chris flinched, "This is between me and Melanie," he said, as Nyota scoffed.

"She's been living at my house for the last week!" she snapped. "She doesn't eat. She doesn't sleep. She hasn't even left the fucking guest room!"

"Easy tiger," Jim said softly, holding onto her.

"You're an asshole!" Nyota snarled. "After every single thing that's happened to that woman in the last six months, you end up doing exactly what every other man has done to her!"

Leonard knew exactly what she was talking about, thinking back to the last serious boyfriend that Melanie had. The one that came to Georgia for the holidays and broke up with her shortly after.

"Nyota, this is none of your business," Chris warned.

"The hell it is!" she snapped. "You hurt one of my friends, therefore that makes it my business! Especially when she's locked up in the guestroom of MY HOUSE, making herself sick!"

"What the hell is going on in here?"

Everyone turned their attention to the doorway, as Phil stood with a stern look on his face.

"OH FUCK OFF!" Nyota screamed, wrenching out of Jim's grasp. She shot Chris a nasty look, before storming out of the kitchen.

"Anyone else need to vent their frustrations?" Phil asked, as everyone slowly made their way back to work. "Chris?"

Chris looked over at him; "Fuck off, Phil," he hissed, before making his way into the tiny office, slamming the door behind him.

….

By week three, Melanie had made herself so sick, that Nyota and Spock rushed her into the ER. Severely dehydrated and down nearly twenty pounds, Melanie was hooked up to several IV's and was admitted for three days. When word got out, there was a flood of visitors coming in and out of her room.

Jim brought clothes and one of Melanie's quilts, avoiding all talk about Chris. Instead he tried to take her mind of the end of her relationship, talking about Hikaru's upcoming trip out to John Hopkins and how he bought the future doctor a pair of scrubs.

"They have Hello Kitty all over them," he grinned. "You should've seen his face when he opened the box. I thought he was going to kill me!"

Melanie was very grateful for Jim's company, especially when he came everyday before and after work to see her. He brought more stories- all of them without the mention of Chris- along with pages from Joanna's coloring books.

Gaila came by, tearful and apologizing to her friend, threatening to kill Chris if she happened to come across him in town. Scotty apologized on the behalf of his friend's stupidity and that if she needed anything, he and Gaila wouldn't hesitate to come out and help.

Hikaru had visited shortly before his trip out to John Hopkins, bringing a bouquet of sunflowers. He stayed for a half an hour, reading the chart that was placed at the end of her bed. When it was time for him to leave, Hikaru wished her well and to "eat something, please!", stating how thin she'd gotten in the last three weeks. With a quick kiss on the cheek, he waved to her and left, leaving her swimming in an ocean of thoughts and emotions.

Pavel came by after class, bringing her IPad and gossip about the mysterious hairpiece that his professor had.

"I swear, every time I go to that class, the hairpiece moves more to the side of his head!" he exclaimed. "It looks like a patch of pubes, glued to his head."

They talked about his upcoming plans for the fall, along with the summer course he was in. Her talk with Pavel made Melanie realize how much she missed working, hoping that soon, she would find the motivation to go back.

When Leonard arrived shortly after being admitted, he came alone. Joanna was at a friend's pool party and he didn't want to collect her, afraid that if she learned about her Aunt's visit in the hospital, the seven year old would have a nervous breakdown.

"How are you feelin'?" he asked, as he stood near the doorway of her room. "Nyota says they got you on IV's."

Melanie only stared at him, "I thought you were taking Jo to Florida?" her voice cracked.

Leonard looked down at his feet, "Couldn't get a flight."

She scoffed, looking back at the window. "Please leave," she said softly, as tears filled her eyes.

"Mellie…" he started, before she quickly turned to look at him.

"Get out," she barely whispered. When he didn't move to leave, she spoke clearer. "Get the fuck out!" she nearly screamed.

It was the only time Leonard came to visit her, leaving with the look of shock and sadness on is face. But Melanie didn't care, as she rolled over to look out the window. Nothing mattered anymore.

Chris had learned of Melanie's condition at the grocery store, overhearing the hush chatter in the bread aisle.

"Did you hear about Melanie McCoy?" one woman asked to another. "Her friend from Phil's restaurant had to take her to the hospital last night! Rumor has it that she had a miscarriage!"

It took less than ten minutes for Chris to arrive at the hospital, finding Melanie's room from the nurses' station. When he stepped out on the fifth floor, he quickly spotted Nyota siting in the waiting room and rushed over to her.

"Nyota!"

The young woman looked up from her book and quickly got up, "What are _you _doing here?" she hissed. "You have no right to be here!"

"Please," Chris held up his hands. "H-how is she?"

Nyota snorted, "As if you care," she rolled her eyes.

"Dammit Nyota!" he snapped. "I had to find out from some old biddy in a grocery store that Melanie was in here!"

She looked at him, "She's resting."

Chris sighed, "Can I see her?" he asked. "Please?"

Nyota shook her head, "That's not a good idea, Chris," she said. "You're the reason why she's in here."

"Nyota, please!" he begged. "Please!"

"Chris, you need to go home," she said, quietly this time. "I cannot let you go in there and set her off on another emotional outburst."

Defeated, Chris nodded. "Okay."

Nyota watched quietly as he turned and walked back to the elevators, feeling slightly sorry for him. Once he was gone, Nyota picked up her things and made her way down the hall to Melanie's room. As soon as she stepped in, Melanie turned to look at her.

"Hey," Nyota said, as she made her way over to the bed. "Did the nurse come in yet with food?"

Melanie shook her head as Nyota sat down on the chair, "I guess they want to pump you with fluids first before eating solids."

The blonde only nodded, closing her eyes as she pulled the quilt up to her chin. "I don't want anymore visitors today."

Nyota nodded, "I'll let the nurse know," she said. "Is there anything else you need me to do before I go?"

Melanie shook her head, "No," she whispered.

"Then I'll let you get some rest, "Nyota said, as she stood up. "I'll call you when I'm on break and then Spock and I will come by tomorrow morning."

Melanie didn't answer as Nyota bent down to kiss her cheek, "You're going to be fine, Mel," she said. "It'll take some time, but eventually you'll be fine."

She then pulled the quilt up a bit higher, tucking it firmly around Melanie. Grabbing her things, Nyota made her way to the door and turned back to look at Melanie; looking smaller and paler under the dark, heavy quilt upon her body. With a sad sigh, Nyota lowered the lights and stepped out into the hallway, shutting the door halfway.

"Excuse me," Nyota said, as she reached the desk across the hall. "My friend, Melanie McCoy in room 234 A, would like it if any visitors were kept away," the nurse nodded. "She's very tired and needs her rest."

"Sure thing, dear," the nurse scribbled the note down to remind herself. "Are you her emergency contact?"

Nyota nodded, "Yes. She's staying with me and my boyfriend at the moment."

The nurse nodded, "Could you lave your contact information? Just incase we need to call you for any reason, that is."

Taking the pen and paper, Nyota wrote down several phone numbers that she and Spock could be reached at, before handing it back to the woman. "Thank you so much," she said.

The nurse nodded and smiled, "You're welcome, dear. Have a good afternoon."

Hitching the strap of her bag higher onto her shoulder, Nyota moved towards the elevators and stepped into a waiting car. As the car descended, Nyota couldn't help but think of the struggle that Melanie would have to deal with in the coming months.


	47. Chapter 47

It took Melanie two months to return to her own home, finding it cold and empty. Chris did exactly what he said, returning to collect his things and Claude, leaving behind hardly any trace that he was ever there to begin with. The first night back in her own bed, Melanie could smell him on the sheets. That night, and the ones that followed after, Melanie cried herself to sleep as she held the pillow he once used.

By the end of August, Melanie threw herself back into her research, consulting with universities and facilities all over the world. With new exhibits popping up all over Europe, Melanie worked over-time, cross-referencing and editing the research collected and sending it back. Gaila would send Scotty to the office with a hot meal, and force him to stay until she ate.

"Sorry Lass," he said to her, as he sat down in the seat across from her desk. "Personally, Ah be satisfied if yeh ate two bites."

Melanie would eat half of the meal, asking Scotty about their upcoming nupituals.

"Don't worry Scotty," she said, when he tried to brush the topic off. "I'm not going to kill myself later over my despair."

They'd started talking about the date, coming down to a spring or summer wedding in the following year. Gaila wasn't looking for a dress at the moment, but talking about colors for her bridesmaids. Scotty didn't care what the color scheme would be, just as long as they had a stocked bar with plenty of scotch. Melanie would offer her suggestions as she re-read another researchers findings on the boiler rooms on the _Titanic, _wondering how her life came to be at that exact moment. After an hour or two, Scotty would leave her be, promising to see her the following night, asking her what she would like for dinner before he left.

Some nights Jim would come with him, and they would pick through her bookcase, finding books on shipwrecks and other fascinating things about the ocean and history. Some nights, they would either sit on the chairs or lay on the floor of her office, reading in silence. Melanie began to wonder if Gaila and Nyota sent them both, just to make sure she wasn't on the verge of killing herself in the tiny office. Or if they decided on their own that they wanted to be there, avoiding the rumored talks of killing Chris or the ranting and raving that the girls were doing. Either way, as the two men lounged about in her office, Melanie felt relieved that there was someone else with her in a room.

…

One morning, as Melanie ended her conference call with a museum in Berlin, her boss showed up at her door.

"Geoffery," she pulled off her glasses. "Come in!"

Geoffery M'Benga stepped into her office and closed the door behind him, "How was the conference call?" he asked, taking a seat in front of her desk.

She sighed, "They want another edit on the research for the _Lusitania _for the anniversary of the sinking in May," she shook her head. "That Kaufmann guy is a real bastard."

M'Benga snorted, "Tell me about it," he shook his head. "Next time as for Nancy Hertz. She's a sweetheart and actually enjoys talking to Americans."

Melanie giggled, "I'll keep that in mind," she said. "So, what's up?"

"Well, I just got off the phone with Doctor Singh at NYU," he started, as Melanie nodded. "Someone sent him your research on the _Olympic _liners and he loved it."

"Wait," she frowned. "Doctor Khan Noonien Singh?" she asked. "He read my research?"

M'Benga nodded, "Holy shit!" Melanie exclaimed. "Do you realize what this means? That man is a fucking legend in the marine archaeological world!"

"And that legend wants to work with you," M'Benga concluded.

Melanie gasped, "Mel, he's wants to offer you a post at NYU for the spring."

"He does?" she whispered, covering her mouth. "For how long?"

"Well, he said for the spring," M'Benga shrugged. "But honestly? It sounds like he wants you there for longer."

Melanie was stunned, taken back by the surprise news. But what took her breath away, was the simple fact that she was about to tell M'Benga that she would have to talk to Chris about it. Then it dawned on her that she didn't have to talk to Chris about anything, because he left her.

"Leave me his number, "Melanie found herself saying. "I'll call him in ten minutes and see what he has to offer."

M'Benga smiled, "Very good," he nodded. "You're one of my best and favorite researchers, Melanie. You deserve a hell of a lot more than sitting up in this office for the rest of your life."

She nodded and watched as he left her office, yelling at Gaila to "put the nail polish away and get back to work!", before heading back to his own office. Looking down at the number, Melanie had more than just research to worry about.

…..

"So, what are you doing Mr. Doctor Man?" Jim asked. "Did you hook up with any chicks yet?"

Hikaru rolled his eyes, "Is that all you picture college life as? One big party with hooking up?"

Jim snorted and tossed a chip at his computer screen, "Don't be a dick!"

"Don't be an ass!" Hikaru shot back, before smiling. "It's crazy here, Jim. Second week just started and already I want to shoot myself in the face."

"Well be glad you're not here," Jim sighed. "Shit is getting tense at work."

Hikaru frowned, "What happened now? Did Nyota finally kick the shit out of Chris?" he asked.

"Nah," he shook his head. "Pavel came straight from class the other day with his books and of course, he didn't have the bag zipped all the way so everything came tumbling out."

"So…." Hikaru nodded for him to continue. "Did someone slip on a bio text?" he snickered.

"I wish," Jim cracked a small smile. "But Chris went to help him clean up and spotted one of Melanie's books that Pavel is using for research."

Hikaru winced, "Aw shit," he groaned, as Jim nodded. "That must've been wonderful for him."

"Told Pavel to get the book out of his fucking kitchen and that he didn't want to see another thing that had to do with ships ever again," Jim sighed. "Poor kid was in near tears, ready to bolt and never come back."

"Jesus," Hikaru shook his head. "You'd think by now they'd get back together already. I mean, Chris and Mel are supposed to be together, not apart like this."

Jim nodded, "I know. Scotty and I had a fucking bet going on about how long it would take for a wedding or a baby," he huffed. "Now I'll never get the four hundred bucks!"

HIkaru rolled his eyes, "You're an ass," he shook his head. "How's Mel?"

"She's busy with work," Jim shrugged. "Sometimes Scotty and I will go to the office after work and read all her books and bring food. Gaila and Nyota keep ranting and raving about how Chris treated her and how they hate him."

They talked for a while longer before Hikaru had to get to his next class. "Hey, Pavel, Scotty and I were thinking about coming out to visit you in December, since you probably wont be home for Thanksgiving and I'm sure you're paretns are planning on hijacking you for Christmas."

"What about work?" he asked, grabbing his books. "Phil will flip shit if all three of you leave at once."

Jim waved his hand in dismissal, "Scotty's planning on quitting after Thanksgiving," he snorted. "He's getting tired of Phil's bullshit and his lewd comments about Gaila. Me thinks he's gonna take a posting at the Owl N' Thistle or he's going to open is own bar."

Hikaru nodded, "Nice! Owl N' Thistle is a great bar. But I'd love to see Scotty owning his own place."

"Me too," Jim nodded. "Well, I'll let you go so you can get your education on. Be nice to the kiddies, Hikaru."

"I can't help it if they're too hung-over to focus in class," Hikaru rolled his eyes. "Keep me posted, especially if anyone ends up murdering the old man."

"Will do!" Jim nodded. "Talk to ya later!"

"Later, bro," Hikaru saluted, before ending their chat.

…..

October and November came and went, bringing December and the pain-stakingly task of Christmas shopping.

"Why are we doing this again?" Melanie groaned, as Nyota tugged her down the busy sidewalk. "I'm not celebrating this ridiculous holiday this year!"

Nyota shook her head, "You HAVE to at least get Joanna something! That poor girl loves you and she's been constantly talking about how sad you are every time she's over your house."

"Fine," Melanie huffed, as she pulled her hat down. "I'll get Joanna's present but after that, I want to go home."

"I can work with that," Nyota nodded. "But can I at least buy you dinner? Something that's not microwaveable and maybe a nice glass of wine too?"

Melanie rolled her eyes, "If you must," she sighed. "Come on, it's too cold to walk around! Let's go to that store over there," she pointed to a shop across the street.

Looking both ways, Nyota and Melanie dashed across the street and onto the sidewalk, heading in the direction of the shop.

"Joanna was talking about some new book series that she wanted, "Melanie said, as they walked. "This spin-off from the Percy Jackson books she's been reading, except that take place in Egypt."

"That girl sure loves to read," Nyota snickered. "Len is gonna have to build a library for her in that shitty apartment."

Melanie snorted, "As if Leonard would do anything like that," she rolled her eyes. "Jo keeps half of her collection at my house for the time being."

Nyota laughed out loud, "Yeah, Leonard has a short temper to do anything that involves tools or critical thinking," she snorted.

Melanie was about to speak when she stopped short, causing Nyota to stumble.

"Mel?" she turned to look at her. "What's wrong?"

Instead of speaking, Melanie just stared straight; her eyes wide and immediately filling with tears. Nyota frowned and turned to see what her friend was staring at and gasped.

Chris was standing outside of a shop wrapped up in a heavy coat, while shoppers moved around him. But it wasn't only the fact that he was standing just a few feet away. He was talking to a very young and very attractive young woman; most likely younger than Melanie and he was _laughing. _

"Oh Mel," Nyota gasped, as Melanie watched them.

As if he could sense someone staring at him, Chris looked away and made eye contact with her. Quickly, his smile vanished and he too went into total shock, staring at his ex-girlfriend/wife with wide eyes.

"Mel…" Nyota started, as the blonde started to back away.

Melanie quickly turned on her heel and ran, ignoring the shouts from both Nyota and Chris. She needed to get away, her heart pounding and her eyes stinging as the tears fell. Chris had moved on.

…..

"She's been in there for hours, "Gaila whispered, as she and Nyota stood outside Melanie's bedroom door. "What the hell do we do now?"

Nyota shook her head, "I don't know! I sure as hell didn't expect that Chris would move on that fast!"

Gaila sighed, "I could just kill the man," she pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Me too, "Nyota said sadly. "Oh Gaila, the look on her face when she saw them… it was like a slap to the face."

Suddenly the bedroom door swung open and Melanie stood before them, "I'm moving."

"WHAT?" both girls shouted at once.

Nyota shook her head, "Moving? What are you talking about?" she asked, as Melanie pushed between them.

"New York,' she said, rushing down the staircase "I'm leaving two days before Christmas."

They both followed her into the kitchen, "Mel! What the hells going on?" Gaila asked, as the blonde grabbed her laptop.

"I got offered a job a few months ago and I decided to take it," Melanie said, powering up the computer.

Nyota shook her head, "Wait.. you can't just leave!" she exclaimed. "I mean, what about everything here?"

"You mean my brother who refuses to speak to me, an ex-boyfriend who moved on so fast and a sitting in an office for the rest of my life?" she scoffed. "Yes, I'm leaving so much exciting shit behind."

Gaila gave her a startled look, "What about us? Your friends?" she asked.

Nyota nodded, "You do have people here that love and care about you."

"It's not like I'll never see you again," Melanie said, looking up at them. "New York is a plane ride away and you'll always be welcomed to visit and stay with me."

"I think you're making a mistake," Nyota said, shaking her head. "I think you should wait until after the holidays to think this through."

Melanie shook her head, "No, I made up my mind," she said, moving away from the table. "I'm going."

Gaila wanted to cry, "Mel, you're just upset because of what you saw!"

"Just think it through Mel," Nyota nodded.

Melanie turned around, "Dammit! Don't you think I've thought enough?" she snapped. "That's all I ever do! Think, think, think! I think about how insane my life has become in the last eleven months since this relationship started!"

"Mel.." Nyota started, but she cut her off.

"No! I'm sick of thinking about him! This entire house is just filled with memories of him, of US!," she cried. "All I can think about is how much I miss his smile and the way he made me laugh. I miss everything about him, don't you get it? I even miss his fucking cat for fucks sake!"

The girls watched as she started to cry, "But I can't do this anymore! I can't stay here waiting or him to come back to me, when he's clearly moved on."

"But Mel..do you really think moving to New York is going to make you happy?" Gaila asked.

She nodded, "I think it will," she said quietly. "I'm doing this for me. I need.. no I want to do this."

Nyota gave her a sad smile, "I just don't want you to wake up in five years and regret doing this," she said.

"I don't think I will though," Melanie shook her head. "I love him. I will always love him. But it's time for me to move on too."

Gaila and Nyota exchanged looks, "Okay," Gaila nodded. "If you think this is the right thing, then we'll support you."

Melanie nodded, "Okay," she said. "I guess I should start getting everything in order then."

They watched as she went back to the computer searching for a one-way ticket to New York, leaving her friends in stunned silence. If they wanted to fi this, they would have to work quickly and quietly.


	48. Chapter 48

The day Chris returned to his cold and empty apartment, he knew that he was destined to be alone forever. His first wife up and left him, not wanting to start a family and grow old together. Then his second wife, Melanie, didn't want to make their marriage legal; despite the endless conversations early on about having a family and growing old together. In the following days, Chris realized that leaving in the middle of the night was wrong; stupid if though really hard about it, especially after Nyota slapped him across the face and screamed at him for it.

Everything reminded him of her, as he tried to move on. Bookshops were avoided at all costs, especially the one in town that they visited often; hiding in the book stacks and making out like teenagers, as they read the titles of Shakespeare and Frost. On the nights when he couldn't sleep, Chris would put the television on and flip through the channels, coming across _Titanic _or some historical show about a ship that Melanie knew about. On those nights, Chris never got any sleep as he stared at the ceiling until the sun came up. His clothes smelled like her perfumes; gardenias, peonies and a splash of peach.

He left the furniture at her home, unable to return again to collect it. All he took were the clothes, books, movies and CD's, shoving them back into the boxes that he left in her basement and Claude, who cried on the drive back to the apartment. For three weeks, he wandered around the apartment meowing and howling in search for his partner.

"I know, Buddy," he said one night, carrying him into the bedroom. "I miss them too."

As Halloween and Thanksgiving came and went, Chris settled into a routine of work and sleep, declining invitations from his parents or Mary. The only person who still spoke to him at work was Jim, and even he was pissed at Chris.

"You're a real asshole," Jim said one night after work. "You both fucked up but the fact that you left without saying a word? That makes you an asshole. But I'll still be your friend, even though I want to punch you in the face."

When December rolled around, Chris felt even worse. He'd hoped at this point that he and Melanie would've been married, ready to celebrate the holiday as a married couple. Decorate the tree together and cook dinner for their friends and family, since he planned on inviting his parents and Mary into town. Instead, Mary, Jake, Tommy and Tommy's girlfriend Alexandra, were spending the holidays in Seattle.

While spending the day with Tommy and Alexandra in town, that Chris spotted Melanie for the first time since the night of their fight. He had been standing outside of a comic book shop with Alexandra, waiting for Tommy to finish browsing, when he saw her. She had been with Nyota and god how he missed her. He was too busy laughing with the teenager, when he felt someone staring at him ; their eyes burning holes into him.

The look on her face destroyed him, as if she were watching someone die before her. Chris felt his heartbreak as Melanie stared at him with eyes filled with hurt and tears, taking in the sight before her; her ex-husband/boyfriend standing with a teenage girl and laughing. As soon as she turned on her heel, Chris took one step forward and shouted her name.

"MEL!"

But it was too late. She had already disappeared into the crowds and Nyota was hot on her heels, screaming for her to stop. Later that night, Mary yelled at him for being an idiot and how disappointed his parents were because he let the best damn thing that ever happened to him, slip away so suddenly.

…..

"I don't know, Rich," Chris said, as he shifted the phone against his ear. "It's just getting ridiculous here. Phil's getting on everyone's nerves with his bullshit about the restaurant. I just can't take it anymore."

Richard Barnett chuckled on the other end of the line, "Sounds like you need a vacation my friend."

Chris snorted, "More like I need to get the fuck out of here," he sat down on the edge of his bed. "Seattle's turned into a bust. I'm thinking about moving back to California after the holidays."

"Well, remember how we planned on rooming here? In New York?" Richard asked. "McKayla! Your mother said to wait!- Sorry Chris," he sighed. "Anyways, we talked about working in a shitty restaurant here for a few years before opening one on our own."

"Well, I'm certainly not rooming with you if McKayla is home from school," he snorted. "The last time I saw her, she called me an idiot because I didn't know who the Jonas Brothers were."

Richard laughed, "Don't worry about McKayla. She's forgiven you and she's leaving for Paris after the New Year with a friend and her family."

"Ahh," Chris laid back across the mattress. "To be twenty again."

"You and me both," Richard laughed. "But really, I think you should come out here if you're thinking about starting over."

Chris sighed, "You know how hard it is to find a head chef position in Manhattan, Rich."

"Yes I do," Rich said. "Took me eleven years to become a head chef and almost twenty to open my own restaurant."

"I'll think about it," Chris said.

"Chris, you could always work here at the _Kobayashi Maru_," he offered. "My head chef decided he had enough of New York and moved back to Colombia."

Chris sat up, "You're offering me a job?" he asked.

"It'll be like old times," Rich snorted. "The two of us screaming at each other and being stubborn jackasses. It'll be good for you, Chris."

"I'll have to think about it," Chris sighed. "This is a big thing, moving to New York and all."

Richard chuckled, "That's understandable, Chris. I didn't expect you to say yes right away. Let me know after the holidays, old man. We'll be fine here with our sous running the place until then."

"Thanks Rich," Chris managed a small smile. "Give my love to Alice and McKayla."

"Will do. Talk to you soon."

When they hung up, Chris looked down at the phone and thought about the offer. Richard wasn't surprised when Chris called back the next day, accepting the offer.

…

"Think we made enough cookies?" Jim asked, looking down at the tray of raw cookie dough.

Joanna shook her head, "Nope!" she grinned. "Can we make a pie now?"

Jim snorted, "How about you go and wash your hands, while I put these in the oven?" he suggested. "I need to see if we have enough flour for pie."

The little girl nodded and hopped down from the step stool, tearing through the apartment and into the bathroom. Jim then grabbed the trays and placed them into the oven, before grabbing the sponge from the sink.

"Hello?" Leonard called out, as he stepped into the apartment. "I smell somethin' burnin'

"Oh ha ha!" Jim rolled his eyes, as he wiped the excess flour off the counter. "Your faith in my baking skills just warms my heart."

Leonard snickered as he came in to the kitchen, setting his jacket down on the back of the chair. "How many trays did she sucker you into makin?"

"Four," he shrugged. "And now she wants to make a pie."

Leonard moved to the closet, "She doesn't even eat pie," he said, storing the shopping bags inside. "Unless it's triple chocolate and whipped cream."

Jim set the dirty bowls into the sink, "I bet she'll eat apple pie if I make it," he grinned. "Did you get everything you needed?"

"For the most part," Leonard sighed, as he peeked down at the cookie batter. "Jo makes it easy when all she wants is books and stuffed animals. I usually leave the clothes to Mel and now Gaila and Nyota like to buy her stuff for her wardrobe."

"Speak of Mel," Jim glanced over at Leonard. "Have you spoken to her since she and Chris broke up?"

"I went to the hospital to see her," Leonard shrugged. "But she told me to leave and I did."

Jim frowned, "And you listened to her?" he asked, as Leonard nodded. "Jesus Christ, Bones.." he shook his head.

"What?" Leonard asked, frowning, as Jim walked away. "She didn't want to see me!"

"So?" Jim turned to look at him. "Dude, she could've used some fucking support! You're her brother for crying out loud!"

"Jim.." Leonard started.

"No!" Jim snapped. "I am sick of this shit! It's been going on for almost a year! You got what you wanted, Bones!" he shouted.

Leonard frowned, "What the fuck are you talkin' about?" he yelled.

"You wanted them apart and they are! You win!" Jim yelled back.

"Fuck you, Jim!"

"NO FUCK YOU!" Jim bellowed. "The three of you are fucking idiots! I've never met a group of people who lie and betray one antoher to this degree in my fucking life!"

Leonard laughed harshly, "Then why the hell are you still invested in stayin' around, Jim?" he asked. "If none of this is like your goddamn fairytale dream world in your fuckin' head?"

"BECAUSE I LOVE YOU, YOU ASSHOLE!" Jim shouted.

Leonard just stared at him, "You what?" he whispered, as Jim blushed.

"I love you," he repeated, this time in a lower voice. "I. love. you."

The older man just stood there and watched, as Jim shook his head. "I've loved you since the moment you dragged your sorry, grumpy ass into that restaurant; demanding for a job because you're wife left you nothing but your bones and a six year old to care for. I love that you come in, ranting and raving over the stupidest shit and how you tell it like it is, even when it hurts peoples feelings," he let out a short gasp.

Leonard looked away, blushing as well. "Jim.. I.."

"No, let me finish," Jim said, holding up his hands. "I love you and I love your daughter with all my heart. I love that you'll do anything to make sure that Joanna is safe and cared for, and I want that. I want someone to love me like you love her, because I never had that. And I know you don't love me back and I'll have to live with that for the rest of my life," his eyes filled with tears. "But… shit Bones, I just want you to know that I love you so fucking much."

Before Leonard could speak, Jim was tossing the apron onto the table and shoving his feet into his snowboots.

"Cookies will be done in fifteen minutes," he said, grabbing his jacket and keys. "Tell Jo that I'm sorry."

"Jim!" Leonard yelled out, following the blonde to the door.

The slamming door echoed off the walls in the hallway, making Leonard flinch in the process.

"Shit.." he hissed, tugging at his hair. "Goddamnit!" he kicked a pile of books across the floor.

He heard sniffling and quickly looked up, spotting Joanna standing in the hallway.

"Oh Jo, baby," he said, moving towards her.

Joanna let out a sob and quickly ran into her room, slamming the door behind her. Leonard sighed and turned into the kitchen, grabbing the oven mitt off the table. He had fucked up big time, and feared that he would never be able to fix it.

…

Melanie sorted through her closet, organizing her clothes into three piles. Suitcases and boxes covered the floor and bed, as she tossed the things she would take to New York into one section and the things she would ditch into another. After placing a call to Doctor Singh, Melanie informed Geoffery that she would be leaving in two weeks. While he was happy that she took the offer in New York, he did admit to being sad to see her go.

"I'll miss it here too," she said, looking around at his office. "But I think New York will be good for me. A fresh start."

As Melanie tossed an ancient pair of jeans into the ditch pile, she heard the front door open and close.

"Helloo? Miss Mellie are you home?" Jim's high-pitched screech rang out.

"UP here Prissy darling!"

A few seconds later, Jim was standing in the doorway of her bedroom, holding a bag in one hand and a tray of drinks in the other.

"Somebody's been busy," he said, eyeing the mess scattered about. "Early spring cleaning?"

Melanie shook her head, "Actually no," she sighed. "I got a job offer a couple of days ago."

Jim beamed, "Really?" he asked, as she nodded. "Oh Mellie! That's great! Is it close by?"

She shook her head, "It's in New York," she twisted her hands together. "At NYU."

"You-You're leaving?" his smile wilted. "Oh…"

Melanie made her way over to him, "Jim, it's going to be fine," she said, touching his cheek. "New York is just across the country and a plane ride away."

Jim pouted, "But I'll never be able to stop over whenever I feel like it," he whined. "Instead I'll have to fly over a billion hours just to see you."

Pushing the clothes over, Melanie and Jim sat down on the edge of her bed. He handed her a drink, before setting the bag of food down at his feet.

"I need to do it, Jim," she said, as he gave her a straw. "It's time for me to move on and get out of here."

"But to New York?" he made a face. "Couldn't you accept a job somewhere a lot cooler? Like Europe?"

She snorted, "That's the future, Jim," she took a sip of her soft drink. "Maybe… five years from now?"

Jim chuckled, "Did you tell Bones? And Jo?"

Melanie shook her head, "I'm going to tell him when they come by this weekend," she sighed. "I'm leaving two days before Christmas Eve, so I want to give Jo her presents before that."

He nodded, "Are you going to tell Chris?"

She shook her head, "I'm sure Nyota already told him that I was leaving," she looked down at her lap. "Then again, she didn't tell you, so maybe she didn't."

"Are you sure you really want to leave?" he asked. "I mean, moving to the next town is one thing. But across the country and into a city that is totally different from Seattle?"

"Before Chris and I broke up we talked a lot about getting married and living in the country," she smiled sadly. "Seattle wasn't meant to be home forever, Jim. I won't let our failed relationship get in the way of a better opportunity for me."

Jim nodded, "Okay," he sighed. "But can I least go through your clothes and make sure pack something decent?"

She snorted, "Jesus," she shook her head. "Fine, you can organize my wardrobe. But I smell a nice, juicy burger in that bag and you better hand it over."

…

"No, she had her entire closet on the bedroom floor," Jim said, closing the door to the freezer. "She's dropping the stuff she doesn't want off at a clothing bin tomorrow."

Nyota sighed on the other end of the phone, "I don't know what else to do, Jim," she said. "She's hell bent on leaving!"

Jim set the carton of ice cream down on the counter and grabbed a spoon out of the drawer, "But we need to make her stay!" he insisted, tugging the top off. "Mel has no plans on telling Chris!"

Nyota scoffed, "And why would she?" she snapped. "Chris looked pretty cozy with a much younger woman the other day."

"Look," Jim huffed. "We need to fix this."

"No we don't, Jim," Nyota sighed. "This is between Mel, Chris and Leonard. We cannot get involved anymore."

"But Nyotaaaaaaaa," he whined.

"I wish we could help, Jim," Nyota insisted. "But darling boy, sometimes relationships run their course."

Jim looked down at the carton of Ben & Jerry's, thinking back to the argument he and Leonard had earlier that week.

"But I want them to have their happy ending,' he sighed, setting the spoon down.

"So does everyone else," she said. "But sometimes, things aren't meant to last. We need to accept that and let them move on."

Jim closed his eyes, "Fine," he sighed. "I guess we'll just let them go on in life, marrying the wrong people and not realizing until it's too late that they made the biggest mistake of their lives."

"Well then… that'll be their problem, Jim," Nyota said sadly. "Not ours."

They both ended the call with a goodbye and Jim set his phone down on the counter; the icecream starting to melt from being neglected for so long. He then shook his head, placing the top back on the carton.

"I'll fix it," he muttered, shoving the icecream back into the freezer. "And I know exactly how I'm gonna do it."


	49. Chapter 49

**I just want to take this opportunity to thank my readers for their reviews and support! It means a lot to me that you're enjoying this story! **

"Why are we opening presents early?" Joanna asked, late Saturday night. "Christmas is on Friday!"

Melanie sat down next to her niece, "Well, I won't be here for Christmas this year."

Leonard looked up from his spot on the sofa across from them, "What?" he asked, as his sister placed the presents on the coffee table.

"Why not?" Joanna asked, pouting. "Nyota is having everyone over again this year and we were going to talk to Hikaru on the computer!"

"I know, baby," she said, pushing her hair back. "But I'm going away for a while."

"Where are you going?" Joanna asked, her eyes wide. "Are you going to Hogwarts?"

Melanie giggled and shook her head, "No, I 'm still waiting for Dumbledore to write me back," she said. "I'm going to New York on Wednesday."

"Why?" Joanna asked, as Leonard watched the scene unfold before him.

"Well," Melanie sighed. "I got a job at a big school in the city. A famous researcher wanted me to come work for him and I decided to go."

Joanna nodded, "Oh," she looked down at her lap. "So I'm never gonna see you again?" she asked.

"Oh Jo," Melanie pulled her into her arms. "Of course you are! I would never stop seeing you my sweet girl."

Joanna nodded, "You can always come visit me in New York, Jo. We can go to the museums and the big bookstores."

"Can I, Daddy?" Joanna asked, turning to look at Leonard. "Can I visit Aunt Mellie at her new house?"

Leonard managed a small smile, "We'll see, Jo. It's a long plane ride to New York."

Melanie nodded, "Now, let's open some presents and then we can have cookies!"

….

While Joanna played with her new toys, Leonard and Melanie went into the kitchen to get the sweets ready.

"So," Leonard started, watching as she set the cookies onto a dish. "You're really leaving?"

Melanie nodded, "Yes. I'm really leaving."

"Is it because of.." he started, before she turned around.

"Don't!" she held her hands up. "Don't say it. Please."

Leonard nodded, "Okay. I won't say it," he nodded. "So, what school are you gonna work at?"

"NYU," she turned back to the plate on the counter. "Doctor Khan Noonien Singh found my research and wants me to join his team and teach a class or two."

Her brother nodded, "That's.. that's great, Mel," he managed a smile. "You were always destined for great things with your work."

She turned to look at him, "Really?"

Leonard nodded, "Of course," he sounded surprised that she didn't realize it. "I always knew you could do it. All you needed was the right moment and a little push."

Melanie gave him a small smile and nodded, "Thanks Len," she whispered.

"You're welcome," he nodded. "You're gonna need to know all the hot spots though. For the best pizzas, bagels and beer."

She snickered, "I guess I'll have to experience everything all over again, huh?" she asked, setting the last bit of cookies on the plate.

Leonard nodded, "I'll tell ya," he pushed away from the sink. "New York is a whole new ballpark compared to Seattle and Georgia. People are fucking crazy in that city."

"I'll be ready for it," she picked up the plate. "Come on. Let's get these cookies out to Jo before she freaks."

…..

Chris made his way into Phil's office the next morning, ready to announce his departure on Wednesday. He had spent the weekend packing up his apartment, sending the things he didn't want to his parents and cleaning out his car for Tommy.

"Chris!" Phil looked up from the pile of paperwork on his desk. "What can I do for you?"

Standing in behind the chair, Chris rested his hands on the cushion and sighed. "I have news."

Phil nodded, "Okay," he turned his attention back to the bills he needed to pay for the week. "What's up?"

"I'm leaving," he said, causing Phil to look up at him quickly. "Tuesday's my last day."

Phil set the pen down, "Whoa, whoa, whoa.." he shook his head. "What do you mean you're leaving?"

Chris nodded, "I got a job offer in New York and I took it," he shrugged.

"So you're quitting?" Phil asked, as Chris nodded. "Are you serious right now?"

"Yes?" Chris frowned. "Look Phil, things haven't been that great here in the last couple of months and it's time for me to move on."

Phil shook his head, "Where the hell did you get a job?" he asked.

"Old buddy of mine needed a head chef," Chris shrugged. "He offered and I accepted."

"Is this because your girl left you?" he asked.

Chris glared at him, "This has nothing to do with Melanie," he snapped. "This was bound to happen- me leaving this shithole, since you started running it to the ground."

Phil shook his head, "Fine," he waved his hand at him. "Enjoy the next two days here."

"Thanks," Chris rolled his eyes, turning to leave.

"No wonder Becks left you.." Phil muttered, shifting the papers around on his desk.

Chris paused in the doorway of the office, turning around slowly to look at him. "Excuse me?"

Phil sighed and stood from his chair, moving to the tiny bar he had set up against the wall. "I said," he grabbed a clean glass and the jar of scotch. "No wonder Becks left you."

"What does me going to New York have to do with my ex-wife?" Chris asked, watching as Phil poured himself a glass.

"You always do what you want without thinking how it'll affect the people around you," Phil shrugged. "It's always "If I want it, I'm going to get it.," with you, Chris."

Chris watched in silence and Phil took a sip of his scotch, "It's one of the reasons why Rebecca left you," he smirked. "You kept pushing her and pushing her for a baby; one that she never wanted in the first place, yet you didn't stop."

"Phil…" Chris warned, as the other man continued.

"You know what made her really leave?" Phil asked, swirling the liquid around in the glass. "What really caused her to bolt?"

Chris remained silent as Phil laughed. "My dear old friend," Phil shook his head. "You're "perfect" wife wasn't so perfect."

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Chris asked, his tone almost deadly.

Phil chuckled, "You ever wonder what kept her out late for those last three years of your relationship?" he asked. "Huh?"

Chris stared at him and Phil continued, "She was with me, Chris," he grinned. "While you saw your sex life as a way to knock her up, she came to me for pleasure."

"What?" Chris gasped. "You're lying."

Phil shook his head, "I'm not," he took another sip. "Wasn't she a screamer? Could never keep her quiet."

Chris shook as Phil continued, "But that's not the real reason why she left, Chris," Phil shook his head. "Oh no, you see.. on the night of your birthday, you knocked her up."

The look of shock flashed across Chris's face, making Phil laugh. "Yup. You accomplished what you set out to do for your entire marriage! A little baby, one that you always wanted!"

"Wh-" Chris started, before Phil cut him off.

"No, she didn't have the baby," he informed him. "As soon as she found out, she had me drive her to the clinic to get rid of it."

"What?" Chris gasped, shaking his head.

Phil nodded, "That's right," he grinned. "She didn't want that baby and she sure as hell didn't want to stay married to you. So she had an abortion and filed for divorce because she couldn't stand the sight of you, knowing that she had to kill your baby to get out. "

Chris blinked, "You son of a bitch," he hissed.

"Don't worry, Chris," Phil set his glass down on the table. "I'm sure you'll find another young plaything to knock up."

He watched as Phil placed the cap back onto the bottle of scotch, "It's a shame about Melanie though," he sighed. "I bet she was a real screamer too, huh? I bet her cunt was extra tigh-"

He never got to finish his sentence, as Chris flew across the room, his fist landing across his face.

"YOU SON OF A BITCH!" he screamed, punching Phil again.

The sound of pans falling and shouting could be heard in the background, but Chris only saw red as he continued to beat Phil over and over again.

"Whoa!"

"HEY STOP!"

Suddenly, Chris was being ripped off of the man and dragged across the floor to the door. Then there was a scream- most likely from Nyota- and Phil was lunging across the room, landing one fatal punch to Chris's face, and knocking him out.

….

Melanie rushed through the hospital as fast as she could, trying to keep herself under control. She was in the middle of packing Jo's room up when Nyota called her from the ER, informing her that Chris had been admitted after a fight. Dropping everything, she quickly grabbed her phone and keys and sped off to the hospital, only to be stuck in traffic for three hours.

"Mel!"

She spotted Nyota and quickly ran to her, grabbing onto her arms when she was close.

"Oh god," she gasped. "What happened?"

Nyota led her to the plastic chairs and sat her down, "Chris and Phil got into a major fist fight at work," she started, as Melanie gasped. "Jim and Leonard had to pull them apart and next thing we knew, Phil was knocked him out."

Melanie covered her mouth, "How bad is it? " she asked.

"He has a concussion and a few bruises," Nyota sighed. "But Phil has a broken nose and a black eye."

"Good," Melanie shook her head. "He deserves it!"

Jim made his way over to them, "Hey!" he greeted her, as she stood up to hug him. "They're gonna release him in a bit, but he's going straight home and into bed."

Melanie nodded, "Where's the other one?" she asked, looking around the room.

"There he is," Nyota nodded her head to where Phil was standing.

"Excuse me," Melanie started towards him, ignoring the shouts from her friends.

Phil was too busy hitting on the young nurse, that he didn't see the petite blonde coming up behind him.

"Hey Phil!" she called out.

Turning around, Phil was all smiles. Then he was on the ground, clutching his already broken nose, screaming."

"MEL!" Leonard shouted, coming out of nowhere.

"Holy shit!" Jim laughed, as Nyota gasped.

Phil looked up at her, as blood trickled from his nose. "What the fuck was that for?" he cried, groaning in pain.

"That," she hissed. "Is for being the biggest sack of shit that's ever walked the planet," she kicked him in the ribs. "And that is for the fucking hell of it!"

Leonard grabbed her by the arm and pulled her away, "Let go of me Len!" she snapped, as he pushed her back to the chairs.

"Knock it off!" he yelled. "Do you want to get arrested?"

Melanie wrenched her arm out of his grasp, "Oh like you really give a shit!" she snapped. "That piece of shit had it coming! He should be the one in jail!"

"What the hell?"

Melanie, Leonard, Jim and Nyota turned to find Chris coming out from the triage, glancing at Phil, then at the group of friends. "What happened to him?"

Jim laughed, "Mel totally fucked up his nose again! Maybe a few ribs too!"

Chris looked at her, "You did?" he asked, shocked.

She straightened out her shirt, "Glad to see that you're… alive," she finished. "Now if you'll excuse me, I still have things that need to be done."

Melanie turned on her heel and ran off, ignoring the calls to come back as she rushed outside.

Chris sighed, rubbing his head. "Jesus Christ.." he muttered.

JIm smirked, "Well," he looked back at the older man. "If that's not love, then I don't know what the fuck that was."

"Come on," Nyota sighed, moving stand behind Chris' wheelchair. "Let's get you home and into bed, before you fall down and hurt yourself more."

Chris nodded, "Thanks," he sighed.

Nyota wheeled him towards the exit, "You better explain how this fight started," she demanded. "Because in all my years of knowing you, I've never seen you beat the shit out of anyone."


	50. Chapter 50

**Thank you for the reviews! Just wanted to point out that my other story **_**Tiny Little Fractures, **_**has moved from a T rating to an M-rating! Just wanted to point that out so it'll be easier for those who are reading that story, to find it! Anyways, here's the next part! **

After a farewell party earlier in the day, Melanie spent her last night in Seattle, packing up the rest of her belongings. Her flight was scheduled to leave before noon the next day and she needed to get her bags into the car before bedtime. Her clothes, books, and other personal items were stowed away in eight suitcases; everything else had been packed away in boxes and labeled with her new address on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The food had been sorted, perishables thrown away, and the rest either donated to the local pantry or raided by Jim, Scotty and Pavel.

"Well Callie," Melanie sighed, as she set the roll of packing tape down. "I guess the rest will have to stay."

Callie meowed from her post on the kitchen table, watching as her owner packed up the dishes and silver wear. Earlier, the cat toys and food were packed up and in a suitcase, just so Callie could have food at the ready when they arrived at the apartment.

"Come on," she scooped the cat up. "Let's double check that Mommy packed everything."

Moving up the staircase with Callie, Melanie settled in for her final night in her home and in Seattle.

…..

Meanwhile, Chris was clearing out his office at work, after his final shift. While Phil was home, nursing a shattered nose and bruised ribs, Jim was put in charge and told to keep Chris out. But Jim had only ignored the request and let him in, knowing that there were things he wanted to take with him to New York.

"So, what's going to happen?" Chris asked, as he tossed old paperwork into a garbage bag. "Who's running the place?"

Jim shrugged, "Phil wants me to do it."

Chris nodded, "You should," he looked up at him. "You're ready to be a head chef."

"I don't know, Chris," Jim sighed. "It's just.."

But Chris shook his head, "You can do it, Jim," he said. "You've worked so hard to become the chef that you are today and this is what you're supposed to do."

Jim looked up and Chris smiled, "I trained you well, kid."

The younger man nodded, looking down at his hands. "What time is your flight?" he asked, as Chris dropped a few books into a box.

"Twelve-thirty," he answered. "Do you want any of this shit? I really don't want to ship more than I already have to."

"I'll go through it later," Jim nodded. "Hey, did you hear about Melanie?" he asked.

After seeing her in the hospital and learning that she shattered Phil's already broken nose, Chris couldn't help but think about her constantly.

"No," he shook his head, as he moved the garbage bag. "What about her?"

"She's leaving Seattle too," Jim said. "Tomorrow actually."

Chris looked up at him quickly, "What?"

Jim nodded, "Got a job offer," he looked up at him. "In New York."

"Why are you telling me this?" Chris asked, setting a cookbook down on the desk.

"Because," Jim shrugged, "I think you and Mel are supposed to be together.

Chris sighed, "Jim," he shook his head. "What Mel and I had.. it's over. I wish everyone would just understand that and stop with the whole "you're meant to be!" crap."

But Jim shook his head, "Forgive me, old man," he leaned forward in his seat. "But she did come to the hospital AND she shattered Phil's nose."

Chris remained silent, "If that's not love, then what is it?" Jim asked. "You know I'm right, Chris."

The older man looked up at him, "Now," Jim grinned. "What are you going to do about it?"

….

Twenty minutes later, Chris and JIm found themselves standing outside of Leonard's apartment, banging on the door. They could hear him cursing from inside, threating to "rip you the fuck apart" as he unlocked the door.

"Jim? Chris?" he squinted at the harsh lighting from the hall. "What the fuck are you two doing?"

JIm pushed past him, "We need your help," he said, as Chris slowly made his way inside the apartment.

"Jim? Chris?"

Joanna stood in the hallway, rubbing her eye with one hand and holding her bear in the other. "What are you doing here?" she asked, as Leonard shut the door.

"Hey Jo," Jim scooped her up, kissing her on the cheek. "Did we wake you?" he asked, as she nodded.

"Dammit Jim," Leonard huffed. "My neighbors are this close to filing a complaint with the noise level here."

Jim looked at him, his heart twisting in pain at the sight of him dressed in pajamas and his hair sticking up at all angles.

"Look," Chris held up his hand. "If this could've been dealt with in the morning, we would've came then," he sighed. "But it can't wait and we need your help."

"What for?" Leonard asked, moving to sit on the sofa. "It's almost two in the morning! Jo has to be up in a few hours for school."

"It's about Mel," Jim said, setting Joanna down on the recliner. "We need your help on getting her to stay."

Leonard looked from Jim to Chris, "Are you serious?" he asked, as Jim covered Joanna with a blanket.

"Like a heart attack," Chris nodded. "Look, I know we have our issues you and me," he sighed. "But I love your sister very much and I will do whatever I can to get her back."

"But you up and left her in the middle of the night," Leonard shook his head. "If you loved her so much, why'd you do that?"

Chris sighed, "There are many things that the three of us need to work on, Len. But I am begging you," he pleaded. "Even if she ends up leaving, don't you want to fix your relationship with her?"

Leonard looked down at the coffee table, "Yes," he nodded. "I do."

Jim beamed at him, "Then you'll help us?" he asked, hopeful.

Leonard looked up at Jim, the man who openly admitted his feelings to him a few days ago, and nodded. "I'll help you."

"Good," the younger man came to sit down next to him. "This is what we're going to do.."

….

Melanie woke up early the next morning, rising just as the sun was coming up. She showered, ate a small breakfast and finished packing up the few items that were left over. By ten, she was dressed and putting the last few bags into the car, as Nyota and Gaila stood by and watched.

"So, I left everything in boxes that are labeled with the address," she said, as she walked back into the house. "The stuff that's in the boxes up in the spare bedroom, are things that I don't want or need. You're more than welcomed to go through it and take what you want."

Gaila nodded, "Len's coming to get Jo's things?" she asked, as Melanie unplugged her laptop.

"Yeah," she nodded. "He's coming by later to get everything," she said. "He's got a set of keys to get in."

Nyota nodded, "Do you have someone picking you up from the airport?" she asked.

Melanie placed the laptop into the bag, "I have a car service coming," she looked up at her. "The landlord is going to be waiting for me with the keys to the apartment."

Callie meowed from her carrier case, peering out at the three women standing in the kitchen. "I take it she's going to be in for a hectic ride, "Gaila snorted.

"I was tempted to leave her here," Melanie said, looking at her cat. "For Jo so she could have someone to keep her company. But Len would never let her keep a cat."

Nyota nodded, "You'll need her," she shrugged. "It'll be lonely in that big old city."

Melanie nodded, "Well, I better get this stuff in the car and get on the road," she sighed. "It's going to be a pain checking in all these suitcases."

The girls moved in and out of the house three more times, carrying Callie and the few remaining bags out to the car. Once everything was packed in, Melanie hugged them both.

"I'll call you as soon as I land," she said, hugging Nyota tightly. "If I can get the wireless up and running maybe we can Skype."

Gaila sniffled, "I'm going to miss you so much," she cried, as Melanie hugged her.

"I'll miss you too," she said. "Both of you."

She then moved towards her car, opening the door. "Maybe after the holidays, you two can fly out and spend the week with me? We can go dress shopping and judge the quality of all the bakery's in my area."

The girls laughed and nodded, making Melanie smile. "I love you both, very much," she said. "Be good and don't drive your boys crazy."

She then got into the car and into the welcoming heat, buckling herself in. Putting the car in reverse, Melanie waved at them before backing out down the driveway. Nyota and Gaila huddled together for warmth, watching as the car pulled out onto the street; Melanie waving at them, as she set the car into drive. She was down the block and turning at the corner within seconds, as Nyota and Gaila watched quietly. And then she was gone.

…..

"Are you sure this is going to work?" Chris asked, as he sat in the backseat of Jim's car. "I mean, what if she's already checked in?"

"Dude," Jim switched lanes to get off at the right exit. "Gaila said that she just left her house, which gives us plenty of time to stall her."

Leonard nodded from his spot in the front seat, "Besides, it'll take her a year and a half to check in all those bags."

Joanna sat next to Chris in the back seat, "You should've gotten her flowers," she said. "They do that in the movies!"

Jim snorted, "Babydoll, this is nothing like the movies," he said, glancing up in the rear-view mirror. "The most that Chris will get is either a big ol' kiss or a kick to the ba-" he trailed off as both Chris and Leonard glared at him.

The little girl frowned, "Did you get a shiny thing?" she asked, looking at the man next to her.

He frowned, "A what?"

Joanna pointed to her hand, "You know! Like my Mommy used to wear on her finger!"

Leonard sighed, "Jo.." he started.

Chris nodded, "I have a ring," he said, which caused the two men in the front to look at each other. "But it's packed up with my stuff."

Joanna giggled, "Are you going to give it to Aunt Mellie?" she asked, turning to face him. "Is it pretty? Is it pink? How come you haven't given it to Aunt Mellie yet?" she asked.

"Easy there, cupcake," Jim laughed, as they approached the signs leading to the airport. "Let the man worry about getting your Aunt Mellie back, before he puts a ring on her finger."

Joanna seemed to like this idea and simply nodded, "Okay!" she smiled, before turning her attention back to the window.

Chris leaned back against the seat and hoped that Melanie's reaction would be just as easy as the seven year olds.

…..

Melanie managed to make it to the airport within twenty minutes, parking her car as close as possible. Then with the help of a airport employee, Melanie dragged all ten of her suitcases, Callie and her carry on bag into the airport and on a long line.

"Shit.." she muttered, as the line slowly moved.

It seemed as if everyone decided to up and pack their entire lives that day, despite the fact that Christmas was just two days away. As the line slowly moved, Melanie dragged her bags with her, cursing as she hefted each bag one by one.

"Sorry," she said, as the couple behind her grew impatient, pissing her off at each scoff and dirty look they shot her. "You try packing up your entire life, just to get the fuck out of this place!"

The line continued to move slowly, the delays ranging from bags that were too heavy or passengers listing which bags or boxes needed to be handled with care. Melanie rolled her eyes as the slow moving process, as Callie meowed louder and louder in her carrier.

"I'm sorry," she knelt down to look in at her. "Soon we'll have you on the plane and then we'll be home."

"AUNT MELLIE!"

Melanie quickly stood up and scanned the busy airport, wondering if her mind was playing tricks on her.

But then she heard it again, "AUNT MELLIE! WHERE ARE YOU!" followed by a "JO! COME HERE!"

"JOANNA?" she shouted, her eyes darting around the surroundings, waiting to see the little seven-year-old.

Then suddenly, she spotted her, standing in the middle of the airport, looking around. "JO!" she shouted, waving her arms.

Joanna turned and spotted her, then looked behind her to shout something. Then she took off running towards her, ignoring the shouts from bystanders and whoever else. As she reached Melanie, the older woman dodged under the ropes and quickly scooped her up.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, as Joanna hugged her tightly. "Shouldn't you be in school making gingerbread houses?"

"I came with Daddy and Jim!" she said, pulling back to look at her. "And Chris came too!"

"W-what?" Melanie gasped, as the little girl nodded. "Why?"

"Because," Joanna huffed, "Daddy doesn't want you to go and neither does Jim."

Melanie cleared her throat, "And.. what about Chris?" she asked, as Joanna played with her necklace.

"He doesn't want you to leave either," she said quietly. "He and Jim came by last night and Chris said that he loves you very much and wants to be with you."

Hearing a disturbance, Melanie looked over Joanna's shoulder and spotted the three men in question, looking frantically around for Joanna.

"JO?" Leonard shouted, running his hand through his hair. "Dammit!"

"LEN!"

He looked over in their direction and visibly sighed in relief, making his way towards them; Jim and Chris following behind. Setting Joanna down, Joanna quickly made her way towards her father, who picked her up.

"Do not run away like that again," he said, kissing her forehead. "I thought I lost you."

"Sorry Daddy," she said, before looking at Chris. "Well?"

The older man frowned and Joanna rolled her eyes, "She's over there! Go get her!"

Jim snorted as Joanna bossed him around, to which Leonard smirked at. "Go on," he nodded, glancing at his sister. "Go get her."


	51. Chapter 51

Chris and Melanie stood across from each other in total silence, just staring at one another. She managed to move Callie out of the way, along with a bag or two, so the line could keep moving.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, once she was sure that her things weren't in the way.

"I needed to see you," Chris said, as she looked down at the ground. "And to tell you how sorry I am."

Melanie looked up at him, "Why couldn't you tell me this sooner?" she asked. "You know, before I packed ten suitcases and dragged them through the airport."

Chris sighed, "Because I only found out last night that you were leaving," he shrugged. "I guess our friends decided to wait until the very last minute to say something."

She sighed, "I'm still going to New York, Chris," she shook her head.

"I know," he nodded. "In fact, I'm going too."

"What?" she exclaimed. "You can't stalk me across the country!"

Chris shook his head, "I'm not going to stalk you!" he exclaimed. "Jesus Mel, I quit the _Yorktown _and got a job at a restaurant that a friend of mine owns."

She nodded slowly, "Oh," she said softly. "So you weren't going to New York to…" she paused, blushing slightly.

"To win you back?" he asked, as she nodded slowly. "No."

Melanie rubbed her forehead, "Okay.." she said quietly, turning to move back into the line.

"I came here with the hope that I could get you to stay for a few more days," he said.

She paused and he continued, "I can't live with the idea of us both moving to the same city and not being together, Mel. I know you took that job to leave Seattle so that you could forget about me and everything else that's happened in the last year," he paused. "But I miss you, like crazy."

Melanie stared at the screen with the departures and arrivals, trying her best to stay calm. "But a life without you.. it just doesn't seem like a fulfilling life at all."

She slowly turned around to look at him, her eyes glazed with impending tears. "I love you," he said. "I know I said a lot of hurtful things and that I pushed you to make a choice and I'm sorry."

A few feet behind them, Leonard, Jim and Joanna watched silently, as the scene unfolded before them. A grown man confessing that he fucked up, along with his undying love for the woman he left.

"Now, I wont stop you from going to New York. I know you want to go and you should," he nodded. "But I also want you. I want all of you, everyday for the rest of my life."

Melanie let out a strangled gasp, covering her mouth. "I don't care if we get married. Hell, we can just pretend if you want, if you're not ready to do it that is," he shrugged. "But I just want you, Mel. I need you and I know that you need me too. At least, I hope you do."

She closed her eyes, "I'm sorry," she whispered, dropping her hand from her face. "I'm sorry," she repeated, opening her eyes.

Chris nodded sadly, "Okay.." he nearly whispered, so low that she barely caught it.

He then turned and started back towards the others, when her voice stopped him.

"Chris!"

He turned to look at her and saw that she was frowning at him, "Well," she shook her head. "Aren't you going to help me move my bags? I can't move them all back to the car myself!"

Chris blinked and she smiled, moving quickly across the space between them, throwing her arms around him. Chris did the same, holding her tightly against him as she buried her face into the crook of his shoulder.

"I love you, too," she gasped, as he squeezed her tightly. "I love you, I love you, I love you."

Carefully, Chris picked her up and pulled her face down towards his so that his lips could press against hers. Once they do, the proverbial sparks fly and it's like they're kissing for the first time. They can hear Joanna and Jim cheering them on, while Leonard grumbles and tells them to "pipe down" and "that's my ear you're screeching in Jo!"

When they come up for air, both are smiling so hard that their faces begin to hurt. "So," Chris rubs his fingers against her back. "What now?"

Melanie sighed, "I guess we re-schedule our flights and leave after the holiday?" she shrugged. "I still have the house and we can go there and talk."

"Talk, huh?" he frowns, as she kisses his cheek.

"Or..whatever," she smirks. "But we do need to talk."

Chris nods," That we do," he said softly. "I love you."

Melanie smiled and kissed him again, ignoring the groans and curses from the people in line, as her bags took up space. Setting her down on her feet, Chris turns his attention to Leonard and Jim.

"Come on," he beckoned them with a wave. "The lady needs some help here with the bags."

Leonard and Jim moved up to them, with Joanna and started grabbing bags. Joanna insisted on getting a cart that way she could sit on top of the bags, but was shot down quickly by her father. Once they figured out how to carry all ten suitcases and Callie without dropping anything, the group started towards the exit.

…

After returning to the house, Melanie left most of the suitcases in the car, except for one that had clothes inside. Nyota and Gaila had locked up the house like she asked, which meant that Melanie and Chris would have the house to themselves. Callie was let loose in the living room, quickly hiding behind the couch, as the humans moved up the stairs and into the bedroom.

Grabbing a quilt from the closet, coats and shoes were tossed aside and they climbed into bed and snuggled together for warmth. Then they talked; about anything and everything that needed to be said. Melanie learned that the mystery girl from the town was actually Tommy's girlfriend, to which Melanie admitted her jealousy and sadness, thinking that he'd moved on to someone younger.

"I wouldn't date anyone after you, Mel,' he said, kissing her forehead. "If I couldn't be with you, then I'd rather be alone."

Then they talked about what would happen once they got to New York; the jobs that they accepted and where they planned on living. While the _Kobayashi Maru _was located on the Upper East Side, Melanie's place was two blocks south of Columbus Ave.

"How do we do this?" he asked. "Do we live apart and try the dating thing again? Weekends alternating sleepovers?"

Melanie giggled, "I'll stay with you," she wrapped her leg around his. "You're closer to work and it sounds like your place is bigger than the shoebox I picked out."

They talked until their eyes grew heavy, voices slurring with sleep. Finally, after four hours of discussing when they would leave for New York again and where they would stay, both passed out with their limbs tangled together.

…..

Melanie woke up a few hours later, the doorbell ringing several times. Chris groaned and shoved his head under the pillow, rolling over onto his stomach. Melanie climbed out of bed and moved down the hall to the stairs, taking them two at a time. Once she unlocked and opened the door, the doorbell stopped ringing.

"Len?" she squinted through the harsh light from the porch. "What are you doing here?"

He held up a duffle bag, "Figured Chris could use some clothes," he shrugged. "And we took Claude back to the apartment so he wouldn't be lonely."

Unlocking the screen door, Melanie pushed it open. "Come in," she moved to the side. "It's freezing out there!"

Leonard quickly stepped into the house and out of the way so that Melanie could close the door, "I hope I wasn't interrupting.." he stammered, blushing.

She laughed, "We were talking and passed out," she yawned. "I'll see if I have any coffee left."

They headed into the kitchen where Leonard deposited the duffle bag onto the kitchen table. Melanie shuffled through the cabinets, finding a box of tea bags. Setting the water to boil, Melanie took a seat at the table across from her brother.

"Everything okay?" he asked, as Melanie ran her fingers through her hair.

She nodded, "Yeah," she smiled. "Everything's good."

He nodded, "That's good."

An awkward pause fell between them, as they sat at the table. The clock on the wall ticked as the minutes passed, getting closer and closer to seven. Melanie noted how hungry she was, trying to remember if she kept the entire stash of take out menus in the drawer by the phone.

"Mel," Leonard started. "I'm sorry."

She looked up at him, "I'm sorry for what I did," he glanced up at her. "For the things I've said to you and for everything that's happened to us in the last year."

"I'm sorry too," she nodded. "I never wanted to hide our relationship from you. But with the way things have been in the past," she shook her head. "I was afraid that you would try and make him break up with me."

Leonard sighed, "I wouldn't have done that to you," he shook his head. "Mel, I feel like I've failed you in so many ways since we were kids."

Melanie frowned, "What?" she shook her head. "No, you haven't!"

But Leonard nodded, "Ever since I left for New York, I realized that I had left you with Mama and her cruelty. Then when you started datin' boys from school, I just felt that I needed to protect you," he shrugged. "But I couldn't because you were in Georgia and I was in New York."

"Then I came back and you were still here finishing your Undergrad and I felt that, since I was there, I could finally protect you and be the older brother that you needed. The older brother that I thought I was supposed to be," he said, looking up at her.

Melanie nodded slowly and he continued, "I know I ruined things with Alex from Chicago and I'm sorry for it," he sighed. "But seeing how happy Chris made you before you broke up, it made me realize that I was a fucking idiot for forcing you to choose."

"He wants to marry me," she said.

Leonard nodded, "I know."

"You didn't have to live up to this fictional expectation of being the perfect older brother, Len," Melanie sighed. "You were always the perfect older brother that I needed, despite some faults. You're a stubborn, rude, overprotective-pain in the ass."

He snorted as she giggled, "But, I wouldn't have you any other way," she shrugged. "Sure, we have to work on how we treat each other. But, I do want you in my life. I don't want you to miss out on the future and I don't want to miss out on Joanna's life and yours."

Leonard nodded, "I don't want that either," he said. "Are you still going to New York?" he asked.

Melanie nodded, "Yes," she confirmed. "But I want to go. And so does Chris, especially now that I managed to shatter Phil's nose. Chris wont be able to get a job in Seattle, let alone the entire West coast because of that."

He chuckled, "That was a nice punch too," he said. "I taught you well."

She giggled, "You did," she nodded. "My hand hurt like a bitch after that, but it was worth it."

Leonard's laughter subsided, "He makes you happy?" he asked, though he already knew the answer.

"Yeah," she smiled, nodding. "Despite his stubbornness and bouts of being a pushy bastard, he makes me happy. Before all of this," she waved her hand about. "We talked about marriage and kids, living in a big house and growing old-well, in Chris' case it would be older together."

"Then what made you two break up?" he asked, not knowing the full story of how Chris ended up walking out in the middle of the night.

Melanie sighed, "Well you see," she winced. "We got really drunk one night on our trip and got married…"

"W-what?" he flinched. "Y-ou what?"

"Don't!" she warned, holding her hands up. "It turned out that it wasn't legal because of some blood test of whatever," she rolled her eyes. "Anyways, he kept pushing the idea of making it legal here and I said no. So he stopped pushing and then Gaila and Scotty got engaged."

Leonard nodded, remembering the night when the redhead and Scot, came bursting into Nyota's house, giddy and nearly shouting at everyone.

"Anyways, we got into a huge fight at home and I told him that I couldn't marry him because I wanted you there," she sighed. "There was no way in hell that I could get married and not have you there."

"Oh Mel," he reached across the table, holding out his hand. She took it and gave it a firm squeeze. "I'm sorry, darlin'."

She nodded quickly, "Can we start over?" she asked. "Just put everything behind us now and start fresh tomorrow?"

Leonard nodded, "We can do that," he said. "But no more secrets and having to find out about them from everyone else."

Melanie nodded, "No more secrets," she promised.

"Good," he sighed. "Where's your boyfriend anyways?" he asked.

She giggled, "Sleeping with the cat upstairs," she sighed. "I should wake him soon and see what he wants for dinner."

"Maybe tomorrow we can all have breakfast? I still need to talk to Chris and figure out what to do about Christmas," Leonard shrugged. "I'll swing by the store on the way home and pick up a few things."

Melanie nodded, "Yeah, that sounds good," she smiled. "But do not scare him away, Len. I mean it."

Leonard held up his hands, "I wont," he promised. "But I do need to apologize and let him know that if he hurts you, I will beat him with a rolling pin."

"Lennnnnn!" she whined, as he chuckled. "You'll do no such thing!"

"I'll try to be nice," he huffed, smirking as she rolled her eyes. "So can I ask what got you two so shit-faced, that ya'll ran off and got married? Who the hell would even agree to marry you two, while under the influence?"

Melanie snorted, "Tequila," she shuddered. "Really, really, strong tequila."


	52. Chapter 52

The next morning, Leonard arrived after dropping Joanna off at Gaila's with food. As Chris and Leonard started preparing the food, Melanie made coffee and set the table.

"Are you sure you two don't need any help?" she asked, setting the plates down at their rightful spots.

Chris looked back at her and smiled, "You just worry about setting the table," he said. "Us boys can manage here."

She snorted and went to retrieve the utensils that were left unpacked, and moved back to the table. As Chris and Leonard spoke freely amongst each other, Melanie stole quick glances at them and smiled to herself. Never, in the last year, did she ever think that her brother and boyfriend would be able to stand together in her kitchen, laughing and joking with one another.

…

After breakfast, Melanie cleared the table and made another pot of coffee. Setting a cup down in front of both Leonard and Chris, she scooped up her own and left them to chat.

"I'll be in the den," she glanced at them. "Talking to Nyota."

They watched as she slinked out of the kitchen, leaving them alone in the room together for the first time in ages.

"So.." Chris started, looking down at his glass.

"Yeah.." Leonard nodded, unsure as to how to start the much-needed conversation. "Look, I want to apologize for how I reacted when I found out you and Mel were datin'."

Chris nodded, "I want to apologize as well," he said. "For hiding it as well as keeping it a secret from you for so long."

Leonard nodded, "I get why she did it. Hell, I'm not the easiest person to get along with, blood related or not. That's why boys never stuck around when she was a teenager and it's the reason why her last serious boyfriend ran," he sighed. "I'm an asshole, who gets jealous when his sister's love life is on track."

"You were jealous of what we had?" Chris frowned.

He nodded, "That and the feeling that I failed to protect her when I left for school," he sighed, leaning back in the seat. "You know about our mother and how awful she can be."

Chris nodded, "My mother pushed her to date boys that had potential because she wanted Mel to be a trophy wife," Leonard shook his head in disgust. "By going to New York, I felt that I had abandoned her and I didn't like that feeling. That I couldn't protect her from my mother and all the boys she dated."

Chris remained silent as Leonard continued, "Then everything that happened with Jocelyn, my ex-wife, I just viewed relationships differently. I wanted to protect Mel from falling into the same trap that I did."

"What happened between you and your ex-wife?" Chris asked. "I know it was bad because you call her the "devil-reincarnated" and many other things."

Leonard ran his fingers through his hair, "Jocelyn and I were married for four years before we had Jo," he sighed. "After Jo was born, Jocelyn started actin' funny. Stayin; out late with friends, growing irritable around Jo when she cried or needed a feedin'. I figured it was a mix between the onset of post-partum and the fear of not being able to see her friends."

"But it was more than that, wasn't it?" Chris asked, as Leonard nodded.

"When Jo turned five, Jocelyn OD'd one night while I was at work," he paused. "Jo was with her when it happened; in her bedroom that is. When I came home after midnight, I found her in the bathroom."

Chris shook his head, "Jesus.." he whispered. "Len.."

"Once the doctor came in with the results, I quickly filed a restraining order and filed for divorce and sole custody of Jo."

Leonard looked up at Chris, "I stayed in Atlanta for a few months and then I decided that we needed a change of scenery," he shrugged. "So we packed up and moved out here."

Chris didn't know what to say, as Leonard revealed a part of his life that changed him forever. Between that and his firm belief that he failed to be the best older brother he could be, was enough to make Chris understand why Leonard reacted the way he did.

"Len," he said quietly. "I'm not Jocelyn."

He huffed a laughed, "Thank god," he shook his head.

"But I love your sister very much," Chris continued. "And I would never do anything to hurt her ever again. I did it once and I regret it and will continue to regret it for the rest of my life. But I love her and I want to make her happy, because she makes me happy and she deserves a life of happiness."

Leonard nodded, "You gonna marry her?" he asked. "Make an honest woman out of her and take care of her?"

Chris nodded, "If she still wants to, I will," he said. "Whatever she wants, I'll do it."

"Even if she asks for something completely ridiculous?" he asked. "Like… an entire room for the cats?"

The older man hesitated for a moment, "Well…" he shrugged. "I don't see why not."

Leonard laughed, "Jesus Christ, she's got you wrapped around her finger," he shook his head. "Good luck, Chris."

Chris snorted, "I'm not complaining," he picked up his cup. "I actually like the unexpected when it comes to Mel. It makes life a lot more interesting."

"That it does," Leonard agreed, picking up his own cup.

They both took a long sip from their coffee's, before settling into a comfortable silence. They could hear Melanie giggling in the den, as she spoke to Nyota about Christmas.

"Just so you know," Leonard said, breaking the silence. "If you do break her heart or do anything to upset her, I will beat your ass."

Chris nodded, "I understand," he said. "I'll also beat the shit out of _you_ if you ever raise your voice at her or hurt her again."

"I think you'll be a great brother-in-law," Leonard grinned. "Joanna kept askin' me yesterday when she'll be able to call you "Uncle Chris"."

"Well considering the fact that I don't plan on giving your sister up," Chris shrugged. "She's a great kid, Len. You're doing a great job raising her, considering what she went through with her mother and the divorce."

Leonard nodded, "I know it's been hard, but I'm trying the best I can," he sighed. "It's just hard when Jocelyn's beggin' to see her, when you know it's a bad idea."

Chris hummed in agreement, "It'll all work out in due time, Len," he sighed. "Give it time."

"Speaking of time," Leonard shifted in the chair. "I do hope you let everyone know in advance when you're plannin' on getting hitched. I want to be there this time when you two get married."

Chris paled, "Y-you know about.." he started, before Leonard cut him off.

"About your drunken trip down the aisle in Puerto Rico?" he asked, chuckling. "Yup, I know all about that now."

They were in a deep conversation when Melanie made her way into the kitchen, "You're still alive?" she asked, looking at Chris with wide eyes.

Chris turned around in his seat, "Of course I am!" he exclaimed. "What? You had little faith in me surviving a manly conversation?"

She made her way over to the table, "I was worried," she admitted, as Chris pulled her onto his lap. "But I'm glad to see that you're still in once piece and breathing."

Leonard snorted, "Dramatic as ever," he sighed, earning a glare from Melanie. "So, what did Miss Nyota have to say?"

Melanie sighed and wrapped her arm around Chris's neck, "Well, since it is Christmas Eve and we're home… Nyota has invited us over for dinner and drinks."

"She's got her boyfriend there too," Leonard snorted, "He's an odd fellow that one."

"I like Spock, "Melanie shrugged. "He's nice and very smart."

Chris frowned, "Not as smart as me though," he hugged her tightly. "Right?"

Melanie rolled her eyes, "Whatever you say, darling," she cooed, patting his cheek lightly.

Leonard snorted, "Shit," he shook his head. "That pretty much screams NO."

"Hush," Melanie rolled her eyes. "Nyota said that if we're up to it, we are more than welcomed to join her and Spock."

Chris nodded and Melanie turned to Leonard, "And she told me to tell you that you and Jo are more than welcomed to come by for sugary treats and what not," she shrugged. "She also said that Jim was coming over to your place for dinner?"

Leonard nodded, "Yeah," he shrugged. "Kid had nothin' else to do, so I invited him over to hang with Jo and I."

"Hmmm," Melanie frowned, "I see."

"See what?" Chris asked, glancing between the McCoy siblings. "I don't see anything."

Melanie turned to look at him, "Not to worry," she smiled. "I'm going to hop in the shower and get dressed. I want to pick up a bottle of wine before the store closes."

She then placed a quick kiss on his lips, earning a groan from Leonard. "Don't make that noise," she said, once she pulled away from Chris. "Be glad it was just a quick kiss and that I didn't have my way with him on the table."

"MEL!" Chris scolded, as she got up. "Please.."

"Yes," Leonard covered his face with his hands. "Please don't talk about you and Chris having sex. In this room. Or in any room for that matter."

Melanie laughed as she skipped towards the stairs, "Just so you know," she turned to look at them. "We had sex on that table," she grinned, as Leonard looked at her. "I think my ass was right where your cup is."

Leonard quickly pushed the chair back from the table, "JesusfuckingChrist!"

Chris blushed and covered his face with his hands, "Melanie!" he warned, as she ran up the stairs laughing.

"You realize that her foul mouth will get you in trouble," Leonard asked, looking at him. "Right?"

"Her foul mouth has already gotten me in trouble more times than I can count," Chris sighed. "Want more coffee?" he asked, getting up.

Leonard nodded, "Please?" he asked. "Preferably in a new cup."

….

After a quiet dinner with Nyota and Spock, along with drinks and desert with her brother, niece and Jim; Chris and Melanie returned home long after midnight.

"I had so much fun!" Melanie giggled, as Chris shut the front door. "Ow, I need to take my shoes off."

Chris snorted as she tried to pull her heels off, unable to untie the laces. Carefully, Chris scooped her up into his arms and carried her into the living room and sat her down on the couch.

"Why are you wearing these things anyways?" he asked, pulling her foot up onto his lap. "Heels and ice don't go well together."

Melanie snorted; "Because they matched my dress?" she shrugged. "Plus, you like it when I wear high heels."

"You're drunk," he said, pulling up her other leg. "I am not having sex with you while you're intoxicated."

Melanie pouted, "I'm not drunk," she wiggled her toes at him. "I'm just slightly buzzed and very, very happy."

She then pulled her feet off his lap and moved around on the couch, straddling his lap. "Can't a girl be happy?" she asked.

Chris reached up and pushed her hair over her shoulders, "Of course she can," he whispered, cupping her face in his hands.

Melanie leaned down and captured his lips with hers, wrapping her arms around his neck. Chris moved his hands from her face to her waist, pulling her close against him.

Pulling back for air, Melanie rested her forehead against his and sighed. "Marry me.." she whispered.

"What?" Chris asked, opening his eyes to look at her.

A small smile appeared on her face, "Marry me," she repeated.

Chris sat up and pulled her close to him, "Yes."

Melanie smiled and kissed him again, "Yes?" she asked, as he squeezed her tightly. "You mean it?"

He laughed and he moved her from his lap, to her back on the couch. "While you caught me off guard," he said, moving to lie on top of her. "I had a ring in in my drawer for the longest time."

She gasped, "You did?" she asked, as he nodded. "Oh Chris! I'm sorry!" she groaned, covering her face.

"Why?" he asked, pulling her hands down. "Think of how great it's gonna be when we tell our kids and grandkids, how you were the one to propose."

Melanie snorted, "You're a goof," she sighed. "I love you."

"I love you, too," he grinned, before kissing her. "I can't wait to marry you."

"I can't wait to marry you, too," she sighed. "But I want to plan a wedding," she shot him a warning look.

He nodded, "Whatever you want," he kissed her cheek. "Hell, I'll even look at a bridal magazine with you and whatever else you want."

"Will you wear a dress?" she asked.

"Um..no?" he frowned. "That's where I'll draw the line at giving you what you want."

Melanie snorted, "Okay," she nodded. "So we're not going to rush, right?" she asked.

Chris nodded, "Mel, I tried pushing you before and we know how that ended," he said. "You pick the date and I'll be there," he kissed her shoulder. "Dressed in a suit and waiting at the alter for you."

"You are perfect," Melanie said, running her fingers down the side of his face. "I love you so much."

Chris leaned down to kiss her, "Thank you," he said. "For giving me another chance."

She nodded and pulled him down so that his head was resting on her shoulder. Both knew that they wouldn't be able to sleep on the couch in that position, unless they wanted to wake up with stiff necks and sore backs. Eventually, they would get up and move upstairs.

"So," Melanie broke the silence a few minutes later. "What does this ring look like?"


	53. Chapter 53

Christmas morning brought a flood of phone calls and text messages, as Chris and Melanie took their time getting out of bed. With everyone due to arrive at Nyota's later that afternoon, it gave them enough time to figure out what to bring for dinner. With food still in the cabinets, Chris managed put together a rice dish, using the last of the spices Melanie had left over.

"I wish I could bake something," Melanie said, as she looked at the bag of flour on the shelf. "But I don't have enough eggs and butter."

"Don't worry about baking," he said, placing the dish into the refrigerator. "Nyota has all of that covered."

It was a little after eleven and they weren't due to arrive at Nyota's until after four, which gave them plenty of time to sit around and relax before getting ready. They managed to find a bottle of unopened wine and moved it to the table for later, then went den to watch television.

"I have something for you," Chris said, as they were watching _Love Actually. _"A present."

Melanie looked away from the screen, "You do?" she asked, as he nodded. "How can you have a present for me? We just got back together?"

He chuckled, "This one I've had for a while."

Grabbing the remote, Chris put the television on silent and shifted against the couch cushions. "Since we're officially engaged as of early this morning," he started, as she moved to lie across his lap. "I know for a fact that I wont be wearing an engagement ring."

Melanie giggled, "Damn," she pouted. "I saw the _cutest _Hello Kitty ring at Macy's a few weeks ago."

Chris tickled her lightly, "Funny," he shook his head. "As I was saying…I told you I had a ring."

She nodded, "You did."

Chris reached into the pocket of his sweatshirt and pulled out a black box, making her gasp. "Now," he twirled the box around in his hand. "I bought this before I brought up getting re-married again and I had planned on proposing to you sometime during the Fourth of July weekend…"

"Chris.." she whispered softly. "I'm sorry."

"But ," he looked at the box. "I figured since you asked me last night, that I could ask you again? Just to be old fashioned… like my age."

Melanie snorted, "Okay," she nodded. "But I don't want to get up. I'm too comfortable to move," she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"You don't have to get up," he kissed her. "This position makes it easier for me to have my way with you afterwards."

"You, Mr. Pike, could only make a romantic gesture into a lewd one," she rolled her eyes. "Okay.. so.." she suddenly became nervous.

Chris shifted her on his lap, wrapping one arm around her waist and settling the other on her thighs. "Melanie Rose McCoy," he started, watching as she bit her lip to suppress the grin that wanted to break free. "Would you do me the honor in becoming my wife? Legally that is?"

She smiled brightly at him and nodded, "Yes!" she squealed. "I will!"

With a smile, Chris managed to open the little black box with one hand, exposing the ring inside. Melanie gasped, covering her mouth when she saw it. The platinum band was perched in the box, as three round cut diamonds sparkled in the lighting from the lamp.

"Chris!" she exclaimed, once her hands fell from her mouth. "Oh my god!"

He chuckled, slipping his arm from around her waist to remove the ring from the box. "I figured one diamond just wasn't enough for you," he said, holding the ring between his fingers. "So I said to myself, "why not three?", and saw this ring and I knew it would be perfect for you."

At that point, Melanie's eyes were shining with tears, watching as he took her hand into his, and slowly slid the ring into place on her finger. Once it was in place, Melanie let out a sob and smiled.

"It's beautiful," she said, turning to look at him.

"You sure you like it?" he asked. "We can always pick out a different ring."

Melanie leaned forward and silenced him with a kiss, "No," she said, once she pulled back. "I love it and I love you."

"I love you, too," he said, reaching up to brush a strand of hair away from he face. "Can we celebrate now?"

She snorted, "We can," she nodded. "But we need to leave some time free so that we can get dressed and head over to Ny's for dinner."

Chris nodded, "Don't worry," he said, as he moved her down onto the couch. "We'll have plenty of time to get ready."

….

Sticking to his promise, Chris and Melanie arrived at Nyota's a little after four-fifteen. Jim and Joanna, who ushered them in quickly from the cold, greeted them at the door.

"What are you wearing?" Melanie asked, as Jim kissed her cheek.

"The ugliest sweater I could find," he grinned, giving Chris a one-armed hug. "Everyone was wondering what took you so long."

Melanie took the platter from Chris, "Nyota said four," he pulled his coat off. "Who else are we waiting for?"

"Your brother," Jim shrugged, looking at Melanie. "Said he forgot something in the fridge at home.

Gaila made her way out into the hallway, "You're here!" she squealed, moving towards them. "And together!" she kissed Melanie's cheek.

Melanie smiled, "Of course we arrived together!" she said, as the redhead placed a quick kiss on Chris' cheek. "And you're already drunk."

"I am not!" Gaila cried in mock outrage. "I'm just very, very happy that you're both here and together!"

Joanna tugged on Melanie's jacket, "Come see the food everyone made!" she squealed. "Aunt Nyota made this yummy chicken thingy that you and Uncle Chris need to eat!"

Jim snorted, "Yeah Uncle Chris," he nudged him. "You just _have _to try it!"

"Well lead the way, Jo," Chris said, holding his free hand out. "Gotta save some before Jim eats them all."

Melanie smiled as Joanna lead Chris towards the kitchen, an onslaught of greetings filling the air as he stepped into the room.

"So," Jim and Gaila turned to look at her. "You're looking very, very happy," Gaila said, winking.

"I am," she nodded, pulling her jacket off. "Very happy."

Gaila smiled until she spotted the sparkle on her finger. "Oh my fucking god."

Jim frowned, "What?" he asked, looking at the redhead. "What happened?"

"You… your.." Gaila stuttered, pointing at Melanie's hand, reaching out to shaking Jim with her hand.

"Jesus Gaila!" Jim moved out of her way, "What the hell?" he looked to where Gaila was pointing. "HOLY SHIT!"

Melanie snorted, "What in the worlds gotten into you two?" she asked.

"You're engaged!" Gaila said, her eyes wide. "Yo-you didn't have that on your finger when I saw you the other day!"

She looked down at the ring on her finger, "Oh, this?" she asked, holding her hand up. "Yeah, we got engaged last night."

Gaila and Jim let out the girliest screeches- girliest on Jim's part- and dragged her down the hall and into the kitchen.

"What the bloody hell are yeh screaming about?" Scotty asked, as they stepped into the kitchen. "Oh, hello Mel!"

"LOOK! LOOK!" Gaila screeched, holding Melanie's hand up for everyone to see.

Melanie blushed and looked over at Chris, who stood against the counter looking smug as all hell.

"Santa was extra good to these two last night," Jim grinned, as Joanna came closer to look.

Joanna looked at the ring and smiled, "YES!" she jumped on the spot. "You owe me five dollars," she said, looking from Jim to Scotty. "Both of you."

"Joanna!" Nyota shook her head. "What did we say about betting?" she asked, despite the smile on her face.

"Not to do it," Joanna answered quickly. "But Aunt Nyyyyy!"

Jim scooped her up into his arms, "Aunt Ny is right," he kissed her cheek. "I'll give you five dollars later."

The group them moved back and forth between Chris and Melanie, hugging and kissing their cheeks, as they congratulated them on the engagement. The girls crowded around Melanie to look at her ring, demanding to know all the details on how he asked and when he did it.

"What's all the commotion?" Leonard's voice boomed through the kitchen. "I leave for ten minutes and everyone's screaming and shouting."

"Daddy!" Joanna squealed, "Aunt Mellie has to show you something!"

Leonard set a bag down on the table and moved over to his sister, "Merry Christmas, sissy," he dropped a kiss on her forehead, before pulling her into a bear hug.

"Merry Christmas, Lenny," she snickered, as he scowled at her.

"What is Joanna yellin' about?" he asked.

Melanie glanced at Chris, who nodded, and looked back at Leonard. "Well," she reached up to brush her hair back with her left hand. "Notice anything different?"

Leonard frowned, "You got your hair done?" he asked, making her sigh. Then he spotted the ring on her finger, "What in god's n- you're gonna take someone's eye out with that!"

She snorted as he took her hand into his, whistling at the size on the diamond on her finger. "Jesus Chris," he looked back at the man. "You sure as hell know to pick 'em."

Chris made his way over to them, "I should start my own business," he smiled.

"Does this mean there's gonna be a planned wedding?" Leonard asked, looking between the two of them.

They nodded, "We're going to plan a wedding for sometime next year, "Chris said. "I told Mel that whatever she wants, she can have."

"Except, Chris wont wear a dress," she pouted.

"I drew the line at that."

Leonard snorted, "Smart man," he nodded. Then he smiled, "Congratulations."

Melanie smiled, "Thank you," she said, hugging him tightly.

At that moment, Nyota clapped her hands to get everyone's attention. "Everyone into the dining room! Food is ready and I have several hungry man-boys here!"

"Come on," Leonard wrapped his arm around Melanie. "Let's watch these buffoons stuff their faces."

…..

After dinner, the party scattered around the house to relax and let the food settle, before desert. Leonard, Chris and Spock helped Nyota wrap the food up, while Melanie and Gaila curled up on the couch to talk about their upcoming weddings. A half an hour later, Chris and Scotty found them passed out in each other's arms.

"Should we wake 'em?" Scotty whispered, as they slept.

Chris shook his head, "Maybe we shouldn't," he bit his lip. "Then they'll be grumpy."

Jim snuck up behind them with his phone and snapped a picture, snickering as he uploaded it to Facebook. "So precious," he cooed.

"Precious until they rip yer balls off, Kirk," Scotty snorted. "I should wake Gaila, though. She'll be up all night if I let her sleep."

Chris nodded, "Maybe you're right," he sighed. "Jim, could you make some coffee?" he asked.

Jim slauted him, "Sir, yes sir!" he snorted, as Scotty reached out to shaking Gaila's shoulder.

"Gaila? Come on Gaila, yeh need to wake up," he said softly, as she mumbled in her sleep.

"Mel? Time to wake up," Chris said, touching her face lightly.

"Hmmm, noooo," she groaned, bouncing her head a few times on Gaila's chest. "Hmmmm, soft."

Scotty snickered, "Yer wifey better get her mitts off mah lady," he said, shaking his head.

"Mel. Cake," Chris said, a little louder.

Her eyes flew open, "Hmm? Cake?" she asked, blinking a few times. "Gaila! Cake!"

Scotty and Chris were shaking with silent laughter, as the two women scrambled into sitting positions. Then Gaila frowned, "Where's the cake?" she asked, her eyes settling on Scotty.

"No cake?" Melanie nearly pouted. "You lied!"

Chris sighed, "You can have cake and whatever else that's in the kitchen," he promised, pulling her up off the couch. "But first, Jim is making a pot of coffee and you're going to drink a cup so that you can get the cake in your mouth and not on your clothes."

Melanie grumbled as he lead her towards the kitchen, "I want cake now.." she mumbled, as he steered her towards the table. "Ooooh!"

During the time it took for the boys to clean up, Nyota set the endless array of cookies, brownies and other sweet treats on the table in her kitchen.

"Ah!" Leonard swatted her hands. "You can wait just like everyone else."

Melanie pouted and Leonard shook his head, "That look doesn't work for my seven-year old and it's not going to work for you either."

"Five more minutes, Mel," Jim said, as he set a steaming cup of coffee in front of her. "You can wait five minutes."

Chris poured another cup of coffee and called out for Scotty, "Don't pout, Mel,' he scolded. "It's not going anywhere."

She rolled her eyes, "You lured me out of a deep sleep with promises of cake," she whined. "I was comfortable."

"Yeah," he snorted. "Comfortable using Gaila's breasts as pillows."

Jim snickered, "Nice Mel!" he shook his head, as Leonard rolled his eyes.

"Yeh made coffee?" Scotty asked, coming into the kitchen. "Ah! Thank yeh!" he said, taking the cup from Chris.

"Come on," Leonard patted her shoulder lightly. "Take your cup and lets go sit in the livingroom. We're going to exchange gifts and eat."

"Cake?" she asked, pouting.

Leonard sighed, nodding his head. "Yes, yes," he helped her up. "You'll get your cake."

She smiled, "Gaila! Cakeeeee!" she shouted, rushing out into the living room, leaving the boys behind.

"Are you sure she's twenty-eight?" Chris asked, shaking his head.

Leonard snorted, "She's all yours, Chris," he said, patting his back.

…..

**I want to wish you all a very, Merry Christmas! I hope Santa was good to all of you and you got what you asked for! :D **


	54. Chapter 54

**This story is coming to an end, for those who are still reading. I may or may not do a sequel, depending on how much time I have to spare before my spring semester kicks up. Maybe I'll do a series of one-shots of for this storyline. I do have a epilogue partially written out, but I've been tweaking it for a while now! **

After a round of desserts and coffee went around, the gang sat down to exchange presents to one another. While Melanie and Chris didn't have gifts to give out, having originally planned to spend Christmas in their new homes; they were shocked and overwhelmed when their friends shoved neatly wrapped gifts at them.

"We had a feeling," Pavel shrugged, as he set a penguin-covered gift-bag on the coffee table, "that you two would get back together before the holiday."

"You did?" Melanie asked, looking at the alarming pile of gifts in front of them. "How?"

JIm snorted, "Like you would really let _that _walk away for good!" he said, nodding to Chris. "I would commit myself to a mental institution if I was crazy enough to do that!"

"You mean, you haven't already?" Chris asked, shocked. "Committed yourself to a mental institution that is."

The others laughed as Jim rolled his eyes, "Ha ha," he snapped. "Just be quiet and open your gifts! I want to start that fire-pit outside!"

The couple glanced at one another, shrugging as they picked up the first wrapped present. Melanie opened it slowly, slightly worried that it was a prank, since the gift was from Jim.

Instead, they were shocked to find a collage frame, with nine slots. In the middle, one picture sat in it's frame; a photo taken sometime after the New Year, during one of Nyota's many Sunday afternoon gatherings.

"Oh," Melanie gasped, her fingers running down the sepia-toned frame. "This is so pretty!"

Jim smirked, pleased with himself. "You're apartment is going to need a shitload of photographs," he nodded, ignoring Leonard's scowl for his choice of words. "Joanna wanted you guys to have a photo in there already and she picked that one."

Chris looked down at the photo and chuckled, "Was this before or after we all got drunk?" he asked, which made Melanie nudge him. "Joanna, you did a very good job."

Joanna smiled, "Thank you!" she squealed, before turning her attention back to her new book.

"Maybe you guys can put your wedding photos in there!" Gaila clapped her hands.

"Or pictures of your future children!" Nyota said, smiling innocently at them. "A little baby with blonde hair and Chris's eyes," she sighed.

Leonard chuckled, "Okay, lets see the next one!" he nodded to the pile. "Before we all combust and open them for you."

…..

A half an hour later, Chris and Melanie opened all their gifts, acquiring a few basic items for their new apartment. While they had no expectations of getting back together before the holiday, everyone else had an inkling it seemed; buying them knick-knacks for the walls that would need a little color, things for the kitchen and their bedroom. Joanna, with the help of her father, gave them a old photograph of Manhattan that was taken from the early thirties.

"This is going right in our living room," Melanie said, with a smile. "Right where we can see it every day when we come home!"

Once their gifts were opened, the couple gave out hugs and kisses- Melanie doing most of the kissing- before everyone dispersed to get more cake or head outside. Grabbing their coats and a blanket off the couch, Chris and Melanie went out front door and onto the swing seat.

"I am very surprised," Melanie said, as she curled up next to him. "They really had all that faith in us getting back together."

Chris set the blanket over their laps and wrapped his arm around her, "I'm glad they did," he said, kissing her forehead.

She hummed lightly, "We should do something for all of them. Before we leave for New York."

He nodded, "We can host New Years? That way Nyota doesn't have to open her house again for another party."

"Then we can do something when they come to New York for our wedding?" she shrugged. "Unless we decide to get married in a foreign country again."

"No foreign countries," he laughed, pulling her closer to him. "I want to come out of this with a legal marriage this time."

"Me too," she smiled, looking up at him. "Legal and tequila free."

They both laughed, as they leaned in close to kiss each other as the chilly air nipped at their noses. Once they pull apart, Chris pulled the blanket up a little higher, making sure Melanie was mostly covered.

"I can smell the fire burning," she said, sniffing the air. "I hope they save us some marshmallows."

Chris chuckled, "You're going to have the worst stomachache later."

She giggled, "But you can rub my belly and make it feel better," she mumbled. "I missed that when you were gone."

"I missed a lot of things, Mel," he said softly. "But I'll make it up to you."

She smiled to herself, "Okay."

…

Meanwhile, Leonard was shuffling around the kitchen, searching for the bag of marshmallows and chocolate bars.

"Dammit," he muttered, riffling through the bags on the counter. "How the hell do these things just disappear."

"What are you looking for?"

Leonard turned around, finding Jim standing in the doorway of the kitchen with his coat on. "The uh… marshmallows and chocolate bars," he said.

Jim nodded, "Oh," he said. "Yeah, Scotty brought they out already. He and Jo are breaking them up now."

He nodded, "Good," he wiped his hands on his jeans. "Do they have enough crackers?"

"I think so," Jim nodded, before a tense bout of silence fell between them.

"Look," Leonard cleared his throat. "Jim, I want to talk about what happened the last week..,,"

But Jim shook his head, "It's fine, Bones," he held his hand up. "We don't need to talk about it."

Leonard shook his head, "No, we do," he looked up at him. "Please? Can we just.. sit down and talk about it?"

Jim nodded and moved to the table, Leonard following him. Once they sat down, Leonard started to talk.

"I'm sorry for what I said to you that day at the apartment," he shook his head. "I should've never said what I said. You've been so good to Jo and.. to me; especially when I don't deserve such kindness for what I've done to the people around me."

The blonde nodded, "You really don't," he said, shaking his he head.

Leonard looked down at the tablecloth, "I- Did you mean what you said?" he asked, glancing up at him. "That you.. you loved me?"

Jim nodded, "Yeah," he said softly. "I do. I still love you, even though you can be a real bastard most of the time. But, I understand if you don't feel the same way about me."

"Jim I-" Leonard started, before he was interrupted by the younger chef.

"But I don't want things to be weird between us, Bones. I love Joanna with all my heart and I miss hanging out with you guys, without having this choking tension between you and me," he said.

Leonard nodded, "Jim, I haven't dated anyone since I left Jocelyn."

"I know," Jim nodded. "And I wouldn't expect you to, since you said it ended on bad terms. How could you date so quickly after divorcing your wife?"

Leonard nodded, licking his lips slowly. "And.. it's been a while since I've," he shrugged. "You know.. kissed a guy."

Jim nodded, "Yea- wait! What?" he frowned. "Y-you've kissed a dude before?"

The older man shrugged, "It was back in New York," he sighed. "College does some crazy things to people; especially one that grew up in a strict household from the South."

Jim's frown turned into a grin, "You motherfucker," he shook his head, laughing. "You dated guys before marryin' the devil?"

Leonard rolled his eyes, "I didn't _date _guys, Jim," he shifted in the chair. "I.. experimented."

The younger man's jaw dropped, "Oh Jesus Christ!" Leonard snorted. "It was college! I was seventeen and in a city that was completely foreign to me! I didn't know what I was do-"

Jim lunged out of his seat and smashed his lips against Leonard's, his hands cradling the back of his head. Leonard tensed at first, shocked at the sudden movement, before slowly relaxing against the chair. He then reached up and grasped the sleeve of Jim's jacket, before wrapping his other arm around him, tugging him onto his lap.

"I think Nyota has some hot co- WHOA!"

Jim and Leonard pulled apart quickly, turning to look at the intruders. Melanie and Chris stood in the doorway, their eyes wide and jaws nearly to the floor.

"Shit.." Leonard whispered weakly, as his sister stared at them in shock. "Mel…"

"This is slightly turning me on," she said, startling not only herself, but Chris as well. "Holy shit. Can that be considered incest? Thinking that your sibling making out with another person, who is a man, is totally hot?"

Chris was so shocked and confused, that he wasn't sure what to say. "I… uhh… who wants hot chocolate?" he asked.

…..

While Chris and Jim went searching for hot chocolate mix, Leonard and Melanie sat in the living room.

"So…you're gay?" she asked, watching as her brother fiddled with his watch. "Wh-what about Jocelyn?"

"I'm not gay," he sighed, looking over at her. "When I married Joss, I was in love with her."

Melanie frowned, "But you were just in the kitchen, sucking face with Jim."

Leonard sat back against the couch, "Ain't you ever experimented in college?" he asked, scowling. "Or were you the goody two-shoes of the bunch?"

Her eyes went wide, "You fucked guys in college?!" she exclaimed, yelping when he lunged forward to cover her mouth with his hand.

"Would you shut your trap!" his hissed. "I really don't want to explain to everyone about my sex life on Christmas! Especially in front of my seven year old daughter!"

Melanie nodded and Leonard dropped his hand from her mouth, "H-how long have you and Jim been together?" she asked.

Leonard ran his fingers through his hair, "We ain't together," he sighed. "He told me last week that he was in love with me and ran out. That he'd been in love with me since the day I showed up for work."

"Oh Len," she sighed. "Please don't hurt that boy. He's been so good to you and Jo for the past year."

"I won't hurt him, Mel," he glanced at her. "I think maybe we could date.. see how it goes."

She smiled, "Can I plan your wedding?" she asked, earning a groan from him. "Oh come on! It'll be sooo cute! We can put you in a nice suit and Jim could wear a dress! I've always wanted a sister!"

He glared at her and she stopped, "Fine, no dress!" she held her hands up. "So.. does this make you like.. bi-sexual?"

Leonard nodded, "I guess so."

Melanie nodded and looked at the flower arrangement on the table, both siblings falling into silence. They could hear Chris and Jim moving around in the kitchen, making a mess from the way they were snickering.

"So," Melanie glanced over at her brother, blushing slightly. "You've done it with guys?" she asked.

He nodded, "Yes Melanie. I've slept with a few guys back in college," he blushed.

She nodded quickly, "W-what's it like?" she asked, biting her lip. "I mean.. doing it you know.. does it feel the same way when you and Joss did it?"

Leonard looked over at her, frowning. "Why? Haven't you and Chris done it like that before? I mean, you two supposedly fuck like rabbits from what Gaila and Nyota tell Jim."

"Oh that little shit!" she scowled. "I am going to murder him for telling you and then I'll murder the other two for telling him about our sex life!"

"Easy there," he placed his hand on her knee. "No murdering will take place!"

Melanie sighed, brushing her hair away from her face. "No, Chris and I never did it like that!" she huffed, blushing furiously now. "Forget I asked, because now this is just too fucking weird."

Leonard rolled his eyes and sat up, pulling her close to his side. He then leaned forward and whispered into her ear a few suggestions, making her gasp.

"What are you two whispering about," Chris asked, as he and Jim made their way into the living room. "I hope you're not talking about us."

Melanie jumped and turned around to look at him, her face in a bright shade of red. "Um…"

Jim snickered as he handed a cup to Leonard, "I take that as a yes," he grinned, sitting down on the love seat.

She took the cup from Chris, and moved over so he could sit next to her, "Are you feeling alright?" he asked, touching her forehead. "You're a little warm."

Leonard managed to choke on his drink, trying to hide his laughter with a cough. "Easy there, Len," Jim grinned over the rim of his cup. "You might hurt yourself there."

"I'm fine!" Melanie insisted, patting his hand. "It's just a little warm in here."

Jim snorted, earning a glare from her as she looked at him. "How about we play with Jo's new Candyland game?" he suggested. "I'm sure the munchkin wont mind, since she's out there stuffing her face with marshmallows and chocolate."

Jumping up from her spot, Melanie snatched the board game off the floor by the tree and moved back to the couch. "I'll beat all of you," she said, opening the box.

"Please," Leonard snorted. "I've beaten you in Monopoly."

"And you do suck at poker," Chris shrugged, earning a glare from her. "Sorry honey, but you do."

Jim giggled, "You also suck at Jenga."

"Jenga?" Leonard made a face. "Who the fuck still plays Jenga?"

Melanie pulled the board out of the box, "Clearly he does," she replied coolly, pulling out the necessary pieces to the game. "And for the record, I am awesome at Jenga. I am the Queen at Jenga!"

"Okay, lets play the game please," Chris said, clearing his throat. "No more fighting."


	55. Chapter 55

"Do you think we'll be happy here?"

Chris looked up from his plate, "I think so," he set the fork down. "Why? Do you not like it here?"

Melanie shrugged, "It's just…loud," she sighed. "I didn't expect everything to be so loud and intense."

It was their first full day in the new apartment, having only arrived the night before. Just two days after New Years, Chris and Melanie finally moved across the country to their new home in Manhattan. It had been a tiring day, packing up the extra things they accumulated over the week and half in Seattle, and saying their goodbyes to their friends. Jim and Leonard drove them to the airport by noon, opting to leave Joanna at the house with Nyota and Spock; just to avoid the nervous breakdown that the younger child would have, saying goodbye to her Aunt and new Uncle. It didn't help when Melanie started crying, as she hugged her brother goodbye.

"Eventually we'll get used to it," Chris said, taking her hand in his. "It's a big change, Mel."

She nodded, "I know," she said, looking down at her dish.

Chris sighed, "How about today we go food shopping?" he suggested. "Figure out where everything is by us and then we'll come home, make lunch and go down to the park?"

"You don't have to be at the restaurant?" she asked. "I thought Richard needed to see you about your schedule?"

"He said to settle in first," he stood up, collecting their empty glasses. "We do need to unpack our stuff and move the furniture around."

Melanie nodded, "And we need to get a couch," she sighed, running her fingers through her hair. "Plus, we need to buy a bed and a few more tables."

Chris filled their glasses up with water, "We can look for a few things while we're out," he promised. "I know you want to decorate and make this place look like home."

"I do," she nodded; looking around at the bare, white walls. "I' glad we can paint!"

Returning to the table, Chris set her glass down and took a seat. "I think we should both look at colors before you go and buy any paint," he said. "No lime green."

She pouted and Chris shook his head, "No."

"Fine!" she sighed, picking up her fork again. "Can I at least get something that's lime green? A pillow case?"

"We'll see," he chuckled, as she poked at her chicken. "Maybe I'll let you paint something lime green. But not an entire room."

…..

By the end of the week, Chris had seen the restaurant and put together a schedule to start at the end of the month. Melanie wasn't needed as much in the office, as Doctor Singh let her work from home; thus, giving her plenty of time to redecorate their apartment. The walls were painted in the living room; a deep brown that matched their new sofa and tables. The bedroom was transformed into a peaceful zone, the walls a periwinkle blue with a matching bedspread.

Clothes went into the closet and dressers; the pictures nailed the walls and placed on various shelves and tables. By Thursday, the only remaining details that were left were minimal; items that were being shipped from Seattle would arrive in the following week and a new washer and dryer were due the next day.

Melanie was hanging a photo on the wall, when the front door opened.

"Honey, I'm home!" Chris called out, shutting the door behind him.

"In here!" she shouted from the extra bedroom, turning her attention back to her work.

A few minutes later, Chris was standing in the doorway, looking around at the work she accomplished in the last few hours. "Looks good in here," he said with a smile.

"Took forever to move that desk," she huffed, stepping back to admire her work. "But it came out pretty good."

Chris stepped into the room, wrapping his arm around her waist. "It looks more than good," he said. "It's perfect."

She giggled, "I still need to organize my bookcase and hang up my degrees," she sighed. "I didn't unpack any of your stuff. I figured you'd want to do all that, so I moved the boxes onto that desk over there."

He nodded, "I'll do it later," he kissed her cheek. "You hungry?"

"A little," she looked up at him. "How was your meeting with Richard?"

"Good," he nodded. "I start next week and I met a few of the guys that are going to be working under me."

Melanie giggled, "Just what I need, " she groaned. "A fiancé with a massive ego strolling in after work!"

Chris silence her with a kiss, "You like it when I boast about my job," he smirked. "Along with many other things."

She rolled her eyes, "Let's go," she nudged him. "Time for you to make me a sandwich! I worked all morning to make this room look as good as it does."

"But.." he started, before she pinched him. "OW!"

"Move!" she demanded, slapping his behind. "Get in that kitchen and start making my food!"

Chris scowled, "Or what?" he asked.

"No sex!" she smirked, as he gaped at her. "Now get your cute behind into gear!"

He grumbled, moving out of the office and into the hallway; Melanie hot on his heels. "You're getting a little out of hand with bossing me around," he said, as they moved into the kitchen.

"Well, you said you'd make up for everything you missed along with what _I _missed," she smiled sweetly at him. "And I missed your sandwiches and everything else you've made for me."

….

"How do you like it there?"

Melanie shrugged, "It's different. The noise level outside is a lot harder to get used to, especially with Chris snoring in my ear all night long."

Jim snorted, "That man sounds like a freight train," he shook his head. "But what about everything else? Your brother showed me the photos you sent of the apartment, which looks amazing!"

"Thank you!" she smiled. "It's a work in progress. Learning how to take the subway and how the streets are laid out here, is a little difficult. Chris had to write down detailed instructions on how to get to work and home, along with how to get to the restaurant and home."

Jim laughed, "You poor thing. Bones said you'd be walking around with written directions for a while."

Leonard appeared behind Jim, "I did not say that!" he scowled, leaning over Jim's shoulder. "I heard you're getting a snow storm this weekend."

Melanie sighed, "We are! Chris made me go with him to the store this morning to buy food and a shovel for the deck. It's too cold to even go on the deck, so why the hell we need a shovel is beyond me!"

Her brother laughed, "And where's the man of the house now? I hope you didn't leave him stranded in a subway station."

"He went out to get batteries," she sighed, as Claude jumped onto her lap.

"For what? You're vibrator?" Jim snickered, before Leonard slapped him on the back of the head.

Melanie scowled, "Why would I need a vibrator?" she asked, smiling sweetly at him. "We found the flashlights in the bottom of a box, but of course they were all dead. Chris went out to brave the cold and the crowds to find some."

Joanna could be heard chattering in the background, "Poor man," Leonard said, shaking his head. "Ya'll won't find shit there during a snow storm. East Coasters tend to freak out when they hear snow in the forecast."

"I know," Melanie sighed. "My foot got run over by a shopping cart in the bread aisle. Chris thought it was hilarious, until I made him carry all the bags for the five blocks back to the apartment."

"How's he like the new place?" Jim asked, as Joanna raced behind them into the next room.

Melanie shrugged, "He said he likes it. It's a HUGE kitchen and the guys are really nice," she sighed. "But I think he misses you all."

Jim scoffed, "Of course he does! Who wouldn't miss me?" he asked.

Leonard rolled his eyes, "That's reasonable," he said. "Did you tell him about us coming out in the spring?"

She nodded, "He can't wait," she smiled. "That was all he could talk about the other day, when we got the furniture for the extra bedroom next to the office. He wants to get a smaller bed for Jo, that way she has a place to sleep."

The sound of keys turning in the door made her turn, "Speaking of, here he is!" she said, as he came into view. "Hi honey!"

Chris looked over at her and smiled, "Got batteries!" he said, holding up a bag. "And a few candles and matches."

She smiled, "Len and Jimmy are on Facetime!" she said, nodding her head to the computer.

Removing his coat and shoes, Chris made his way over to the kitchen table and looked at the computer screen. "Boys," he gave them a curt nod.

Jim squealed, "Oohhh! You're wearing your glasses!" he smiled. "Bonesy, doesn't he look so handsome in his glasses?"

Melanie laughed as her brother whacked him with a newspaper, "Knock off, ya overgrown child!"

"Jesus.." Chris muttered, as he dropped a kiss on Melanie's cheek. "Jim must really get off on being spanked."

"I heard that!" Jim shouted, as Joanna climbed onto his lap. "Easy Jo! You're getting too big to climb on me."

"Hi Aunt Mellie! Hi Uncle Chris!" she waved at them both. "What are you doing?"

"Getting ready for snow, Jo," Chris said, pulling a chair over to sit next to Melanie. "What are you doing?"

Joanna leaned closer to the screen, "I'm making a mess!" she laughed. "Daddy says that if I don't stop, he's going to ground me for a week."

They laughed and listened intently, as Joanna explained what was going on in Seattle. How Spock was going to ask Nyota to move to Canada with him on her birthday, and how Jim still didn't like the man; especially when he wanted to take Nyota out of the country. When it was time for Joanna to go upstairs to do her chores, the conversation turned to business and Melanie excused herself to start dinner. They ended the chat with a promise to call the next day, along with Melanie promising to keep them updated with the snow.

"They seem to be more excited about the idea of us getting snow," Melanie said, as she filled a pot up with water. "Why do I get the feeling that they'll only call us when they hear about a massive storm coming to hit us?"

Chris stood behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. "They'll call us for other reasons," he said, kissing her shoulder. "How about tonight we just relax? We'll make dinner and watch a movie and go to bed early."

"Are you going in tomorrow?" she asked, setting the pot down on the counter.

"Richard is gonna close the restaurant down for tomorrow, since the snow is supposed to start overnight," he shrugged. "And they closed NYU down."

Melanie turned around, wrapping her arms around his neck, "So we have an uncertain amount of free time to do whatever we want?" she asked.

Chris nodded, "Whatever you want," he said.

"Maybe we could start putting a few ideas together for our wedding?" she shrugged. "Pick a date or a color scheme? I want to have something done just to get the ball rolling."

He kissed her cheek, "We can do that," he nodded. "Maybe finish unpacking all the stuff that came earlier in the week from Seattle."

"You know," Melanie sighed. "I think we'll be okay here."

Chris smiled, "We will be," he nodded. "If you still don't like it here after a year or two, we can always go back. Whatever you want to do Mel, I'll do it. I just want to see you happy."

"I'm already happy," she swore, reaching up to play with his hair. "I have you and that's all that matters."

"I love you," he said, kissing her softly on the lips.

Melanie smiled against his lips, "I love you, too."

Giving her shoulders a squeeze, Chris moved to pick up the pot. "I'll get dinner ready," he said, moving to the stove. "You go on and change into something warm and bring a few blankets out."

She nodded, "I'll watch the food while you change," she said, moving out of the kitchen. "Could you turn the heat up?"

"I will," he said. "Hurry, hurry!"

Melanie giggled and started down the hallway to their bedroom, the cats following close behind as she went. Chris shook his head and laughed, moving to grab a box of pasta out of the cabinet. Glancing out the widow above the sink, the city skyline twinkled against the early evening sky. It had only been two weeks since they'd left Seattle, leaving their friends and family behind for a new start. Now with new jobs and planning their upcoming wedding, Chris knew they'd be fine there.

Hearing Melanie talking to the cats in the bedroom, Chris opened the box of pasta and set it down on the counter, before moving to the refrigerator.

"Come on," Melanie said from the hallway. "Daddy's making dinner and Mommy will put food in your bowl."

Chris was at the sink, washing tomatoes, when she came back in. Dressed in flannel bottoms and a long sleeved shirt, Melanie was dressed for comfort. Callie and Claude circled around her feet, as she opened the bag of cat food.

"There we go," she cooed, filling their bowl up. "Eat up because that's all your getting tonight."

The cats dove into their food, eating greedily as she stood by and watched. "Fat little babies," she shook her head.

Chris smiled to himself as she moved to the opposite counter, checking the water in the pot. They would definitely be fine.

**Next Up:**

**The Epilogue Part 1!  
**


	56. Chapter 56

**December 2016- Part One.**

Four men sat on the floor in the garage, arguing over the simplest set of directions known to man.

"I told you! It goes this way!" Jim snapped, moving to make corrections on Leonard's work.

Leonard slapped his hand away, "You touch that and I'll break your hand!"

Chris groaned, "Guys! Play nice!"

Scotty snorted, "Yer all idiots," he shook his head. "Yeh can't put a simple bicycle together?"

Just then, the door to the garage went up, letting in the bright afternoon sunlight in. Before anyone could protest, a squeal rang out. A flash of purple and Chris found himself being knocked back onto the ground, a tangle of brown curls in his face.

"Charlotte!" Melanie scolded, as she stepped into the garage. "What did I say about running!"

Chris chuckled, "Relax Mel," he sat up with the two year old. "She's just excited to see her old man."

The little girl squealed, "Pa! Pa!" she patted his mouth with her hand.

"Yes," Chris took hold of her hand. "Daddy's right here, trying to help your Uncle's with Jo's bike."

Melanie snorted, "Looks more like a retarded transformer," she said, eyeing the mess.

She earned glares from her husband, brother and Jim, while Scotty laughed. "What? It does!" she insisted, before turning to Scotty. "You're wife would like to see you inside. She's not feeling too good and would like you to make whatever it is that helps with her morning sickness."

Scotty nodded and quickly stood up, "Aye, this morning sickness thing is getting a wee bit ridiculous," he made a face. "She's six months in! Why does she still have it?"

Melanie shrugged, "I don't know! It's different for everyone!" she exclaimed, as he made his way outside. "Jesus Christ, just because I've popped out a baby, doesn't make me an expert!"

Jim snorted, "No," he shook his head. "You're more like a baby factory."

The men and Melanie looked down at her expanding belly, just shy of six months. "Oh shut up!" Melanie snapped. "It's not like I'm popping them out left and right!"

Charlotte shrieked as Chris kissed her cheek, "Jim," he said, setting Charlotte down on the ground. "Do not insult my wife."

"Yeah! Don't insult me!" she warned, as Chris got up. "I could beat you with my bare hands!"

"I wouldn't go that far, honey," Chris said, as he picked Charlotte up. "You're in no condition to beat anyone up."

Jim stuck his tongue out at her, "Ha ha!" he grinned, before Leonard smack him upside the head. "OW!"

"Quit fuckin' around and help me finish this before Jo gets home!" he snapped, moving to fix the bike.

Jim grumbled, "Love you too, honey."

Chris rolled his eyes at the two men, before wrapping his arm around Melanie. "Did you eat?" he asked, as they made their way outside.

Melanie shook her head, "Nope. Charlie here was determined to watch her Mickey Mouse, and driving me up the wall."

He chuckled, "Lunchtime and then this one goes down for a nap," he said, kissing her forehead. "It's too cold for you two to be out here anyways."

…..

"Come on, Charlie," Chris scooped the two-year-old up. "Nap-time."

"Noooooo!" Charlotte whined, as Chris set her down on the bed. "Play!"

He chuckled, "Later," he promised, as he pulled the stuff animals away from the pillows. "You take a nap now and Daddy will play with you later."

Melanie stood in the doorway of the bedroom, shaking her head, as Chris tried to get the little girl down for a nap. After a few minutes, he managed to get her under the blankets and cuddled with her stuffed bear.

"You know," she said, as they closed the door to the bedroom. "You shouldn't be bribing a two year old."

He snorted, "Says the woman who promised her _two _cookies instead of one."

Melanie blushed, "I was tired!" she exclaimed. "And it was way past her bed-time!"

Chris wrapped his arm around her shoulders, leading her down the hall to the stairs "I told you to use this vacation to relax," he said. "Because after New Years, we're going to be running around like crazy!"

Just shy of three years in New York, Chris and Melanie decided that Manhattan wasn't the place to raise their daughter. With a majority of their family on the West coast, it was time to make it a permanent home for Charlotte. They started house hunting earlier in the year, before Melanie learned that she was pregnant again. Plus, they wanted their children to have more time with their grandparents and the endless parade of Aunts, Uncles and Cousins. They settled on a house just outside of Seattle, with enough bedrooms for their ever-expanding family. Then with the job offers they both received in Washington, it was only right that they'd move back to the place they'd met and where it all began.

"Len and Jim are flying out with you to help, right?" she asked, as they made their way into the den. "We have until January twenty-third to clear out the apartment."

Chris gently pushed her down onto the sofa, "Relax," he said. "The boys and I have everything under control."

Melanie nodded, "Okay," she sighed. "I guess we should stat wrapping up Charlotte's presents then."

"I'll go get everything from the closet," he kissed her. "I want you to get as much rest as you can before Nyota and Spock fly in. Knowing Nyota, she's gonna want to go shopping and help decorate the house."

She giggled, "You said we could!"

Chris moved towards the hall, "I know I did," he sighed. "But I can still change my mind!"

"You do that and no Christmas sex!" she yelled, as he laughed his way to the closet.

…..

By the time Christmas rolled around, everyone arrived safely to Jim and Leonard's house. Shortly after they left for New York, Melanie left the house to Leonard; knowing that the tiny apartment he and Joanna were living in wasn't enough for a growing girl. Then, after he and Jim got together, Jim sold the apartment with Hikaru's consent and moved in, making the house his home too.

"Okay, so I have presents for Miss Joanna, Miss Charlotte andddddd," Nyota grinned, as she wiggled the gift bags in her hand. "Their lovely Mommies!"

Charlotte and Joanna squealed as Nyota handed them their gifts, moving to sit down on the floor to open them. Nyota then handed Gaila and Melanie their gifts, placing a kiss on the cheek.

"Easy Charlie," Jim snickered, as the two year old yanked at the paper. "Maybe Daddy should help you before you break your present."

Chris got down on the floor and pulled Charlotte into his lap, helping her tear the wrapping paper off the box. Melanie smiled at them, before pulling the tissue paper out of the bag.

"Oh Ny!" she gasped. "You shouldn't have!"

Chris looked up from Charlotte's new toy, "What is it?" he asked, as Melanie turned the box around so he could see.

"It's that Cinderella figurine I've been looking all over for!" she smiled. "Remember? I wanted to put it in the nursery since we're doing a Cinderella theme!"

Jim rolled his eyes, "Oh god," he muttered, earning a glare from Nyota. "What did you get?" he asked, as Gaila looked down at the box in her hands.

"It's a Winnie the Pooh set!" she beamed. "Little Monty is going to love this!"

Nyota clapped her hands, "You like them?" she asked, as they both nodded. "Good! I wanted to make sure I got the right ones since you two were dead set on your nursery plans!"

"Thank you so much, Ny," Melanie said, as she got up to hug her. "Sophia and Olivia are going to love it."

"Sophia and Olivia won't even realize it's there, "Chris pointed out, as Charlotte held her new Belle doll with a tight grip. "All these princess things are driving Daddy crazy," he said, burying his face into Charlotte's hair.

Jim snorted, "Maybe you'll get a boy next time," he shrugged. "Then you can go for a superhero theme!"

"Stop pesterin' the man, Jim!" Leonard said, as he went to give Nyota a kiss on the cheek.

"Daddy! Daddy!" Joanna ran over to him. "Look! It's the new mythology book I wanted!"

Leonard took the book from her, "Wow Jo!" he read the cover. "Looks like you'll be readin' me a bedtime story or two!"

Joanna giggled, "Daddy!" she groaned, as he ruffled her hair. "Thank you Aunt Nyota!"

"You're welcome, sweetheart!" Nyota smiled. "Let's get this garbage thrown away and then we can see what your Uncles are doing to that food!"

"Here," Leonard moved to Chris. "I'll take her so you and Mel can relax for a bit. I know this one had you up early this morning."

Chris nodded as Leonard picked his niece up, "Come on Princess," he kissed her cheek. "Let's go introduce Miss Belle to the boys."

Standing up, Chris moved over to Melanie and sat down next to her. "Lemme see," he held his hands out, nodding to the box. "Oh this is nice," he said, examining the image on the box.

She rested her head against his shoulder, "That was the last thing I wanted for the room," she smiled, before looking up at him. "You're not upset that we're having two more girls, are you?"

"Honey!" he exclaimed. "I'm _thrilled _that we're having two more girls! Hell, I'd be happy regardless of what the sex was."

"I just want to make sure," she shrugged, as Charlotte squealed in the other room. "Sometimes I wonder if all the estrogen in the house will be too much for you."

Chris chuckled, "I rather deal with little girls, knowing that they'll be just like you," he kissed her forehead. "I don't know what I would do if we had a boy, to be honest. I'd probably have a heart attack."

She snorted, "Don't say that," she nudged him. "Maybe the next one will be a boy."

"The next one?" he asked. "Let's focus on the these three first, before we have a fourth!"

Melanie giggled, "At the rate we're going, I give it a year before we're putting together another nursery."

He snorted, "Your doctor would kill me,' he sighed. "I've had my fair share of OBGYN's screaming at me for even touching you after Charlotte was born."

"What can I say?" Melanie sighed. "I'm just that attractive!"

"Yes dear, you are," he patted her knee. "Now, lets do what Leonard said and relax. If he and Jim cooked all the food they promised, that means Charlotte is going to be wearing her dinner instead of eating it."

Melanie giggled, "For two years old, she has exceptional taste in food."

Chris chuckled, "That's because I make most of the food we eat," he sighed. "Start 'em young."

"Oh hush," she laughed, resting her head against his shoulder. "I hope they hurry up though. I'm getting hungry again."

"You're always hungry," he grunted, as she elbowed him. "But it's nice to see that your appetite has returned."

Nyota popped her head into the den at that moment, "Dinner will be ready in five minutes," she smiled at them. "Don't fall asleep!"

"We wont," Chris promised. "If we do, come and yell at us."

She nodded, "I'll send Charlotte in to attack," she grinned. "You know how she gets with food."

Melanie snorted, "Do we ever," she shook her head. "Kid is a mini-garbage pit."

"That's not nice," Chris grunted, resting his head against the couch. "Come on, we have five minutes to relax."

"Four actually," she yawned. "Okay, no talking."

Chris hummed in agreement and closed his eyes, enjoying the now three minutes he and his wife had left, before their wild two year old would come bursting in and demanding for their attention.


	57. Chapter 57

Winter 2016- Part 2

The day after Christmas was a day filled with organizing and relaxation. Melanie and Charlotte spent the morning going through her presents, folding the clothes into the dresser and tossing the boxes into the garbage. Then they moved to Joanna's side of room and did the same thing, before Melanie made them lunch.

"So, we'll bring the clothes and valuables back with us on the plane," Chris said, as he scribbled on a piece of paper. "Richard said he would make sure that all the furniture and stuff that we can't bring on the plane, will be taken care of."

"Make sure you wrap up all the glass with the bubble wrap AND the newspaper," she said, setting a plate of grilled cheese down for Joanna. "And I was thinking about giving the couch to McKayla, that way Richard and Julia won't have to buy her one."

Chris frowned, "Mel.. we've had sex on that couch! I think the girls were conceived on that couch!" he said, eyeing her belly.

She blinked, "Oh.." she glanced at Joanna, who was too busy digging into her lunch to even understand what they were talking about. "Oops."

He shook his head, "If you want, we can go look at couches before we leave and have it delivered to the house," he sighed. "That way it's there when we get back from New York."

Turning the stove off, Melanie made her way over to the table and sat down on his lap. "How about we take a break from all this?" she asked, nodding to the paper. "Today is a day of rest and I am hoping that my brother and Jim come home soon to watch the kids."

Chris pulled off his glasses, "Tired?" he asked, wrapping his arms around her.

She nodded, "More than you could imagine," she sighed. "I wasn't this tired when I was pregnant with Charlotte."

"That's because you were carrying one baby and not two," he smiled, rubbing her belly. "How about you go on up to bed? I'll make sure the girls eat their lunch and when they come home, I'll join you?"

"Are you sure?" she asked, as Charlotte played with her cheerios.

Chris chuckled, "I'm sure," he nodded. "Joanna will probably head upstairs to read her book and Charlie will probably tire herself out with running around."

Melanie nodded, "Okay," she sighed. "I'm going before you change your mind."

Standing up with his help, Melanie turned around and dropped a kiss on his lips. "I'll see you in a little while," she yawned, before moving over to Charlotte's high chair.

"Be good, Charlie," she kissed her head. "Don't drive your Daddy crazy."

Charlotte screeched, holding a handful of Cheerios in her chubby hand. Chris leaned forward and carefully took the cheerios and placed them back into the bowl, "No, no," he said, holding one up for her.

Melanie snorted, "Jo, tell your father that he needs to fix the light outside," she yawned again. "Someone's going to get hurt on the steps out there."

Joanna nodded, "I will!" she promised. "Now do what Uncle Chris said and go lay down! Sophie and Olivia need their rest too!"

Chris snorted as his wife sighed, "Yes, yes," she kissed her cheek. "I'm going!"

"Thanks for the grilled cheese!" Joanna gigged, wiggling one half of the sandwich at her retreating back.

…..

A few hours later, Chris was crawling into bed next to his wife, having spent a large portion of the afternoon with his daughter. Joanna had retired upstairs to her room to read shortly after helping him with the dishes, leaving him with his terror of a two-year-old. By the time Leonard and Jim came home, Chris was trying to salvage two broken flower vases and hiding crayons on the top shelf of the bookcase. Charlotte was then taken upstairs to Joanna's room, and tucked into bed for a nap.

"How bad?" Melanie mumbled, as Chris pulled the blanket over him.

"Broken vases," he said, wrapping his arm around her. "We need to keep crayons away from her too."

Melanie groaned, "How are we going to manage three children under the age of five?" she asked, rolling over to face him. "I'm serious Chris! No more babies after this."

"No more babies… for a while?" he corrected her, hoping she wasn't too serious about it. "At least until Charlotte is like, five and the twins are more than a year old."

"If you didn't look so cute holding children," she yawned. "This baby factory would've been shut down for five years after Charlotte."

Chris scoffed, "You're only saying that because of how Charlotte came into the world!" he insisted.

Melanie opened her eyes and looked at him, "Chris, I gave birth to our daughter in the stairwell of our apartment during a blizzard!"

"You had trained EMT's and everything turned out fine! Charlotte was fine and so were you," he kissed her cheek. "We still have five months left and we'll be closer to a hospital this time."

"I hate when you're right," she mumbled, pressing her face deeper into the pillow. "You become an annoying know-it-all and I don't like it."

Chris snorted, "Well, this know-it-all says it's time for a nap," he stretched out on the bed. "Come on, you need your rest."

…

"Ny, can you make sure Charlotte doesn't touch those dishes?" Melanie asked, as she moved to answer the Skype call. "She's already taken a tumble in the living room and Chris will flip if I have to call him from the hospital."

Nyota nodded, setting the box down on the chair. "Charlie girl! You better come here before Auntie Ny eats all your cookies!"

Charlotte shrieked when she spotted her Aunt coming towards her, moving to hide behind the stacks of boxes. Melanie shook her head and moved to the kitchen table, sitting down to answer the call on her laptop. A few seconds later, her brother sat before her in the apartment, yelling at Jim who was off camera.

"Dammit Jim! Chris said to wrap it up with bubble wrap AND then the fucking newspaper!"

"It's so good to know that my husband has actually listened to me for once!" Melanie sighed, catching her brother's attention. "You better be keeping my wedding china in perfect condition! It was expensive!"

Leonard grinned, "Chris and I packed that first," he said. "I made Jim pack up the towels and sheets, since there's no way to break them at all."

She could hear Jim cursing in the background, "You better shut your trap, Jim," Leonard warned. "My sister can give you a verbal lashing that you'll feel for days."

Melanie snickered, "How much did you guys pack already?" she asked, as Nyota came into the kitchen with Charlotte in her arms.

"We got most of the living room and Charlotte's room packed up," he sighed. "I got your office packed up this morning and yes, I did follow your instructions. All the important paperwork you left on the desk has been put into my backpack and I will guard it with my life."

She sighed, "Thank you, Len," she said. "I would be murdered if anything were to happen to it."

Nyota set Charlotte down at the table, "Here you go," she said, opening the tin of cookies. "One cookie."

"You're husband wants to talk to you," Leonard said, moving to get up. "He's got that "I need to check in with my wife, the human incubator" look on his fa-OW! Why did you hit me!?"

"Get the hell up and go make sure your boyfriend isn't breaking my wife's things," Chris said, waving him away from the chair. "And don't call my wife an incubator!"

Melanie and Nyota giggled as the boys bickered, "Do you see what I have to deal with?" Melanie asked, as Nyota played with Charlotte's hair. "Overgrown children."

"I am not a child," Chris said, as he took a seat in front of the computer. "How are you feeling?"

Melanie smiled, "I'm fine," she said. "Nyota is here and she brought cookies and more energy to catch Charlotte."

Chris chuckled, "What's my Charlie girl doing? She's not giving you a hard time is she?" he asked.

"She's just curious about everything," Melanie shrugged. "Touching everything that's coming out of the boxes and running around with the bubble wrap. She's been popping the sheets for the last hour and a half!"

He laughed, "Just make sure you're throwing it out," he shook his head. "How does the house look?"

Melanie smiled, "It's a big house," she nodded. "I didn't realize how much space we'll have here, especially with three small children running around. Everyone will want to come and spend time here."

"JIM! KNOCK IT OFF!" Leonard shouted off screen.

"OW YOU FUCKER!" Jim screeched.

"If they break anything," Melanie warned, as her husband sighed.

"They wont," he promised, despite the fact that he looked unsure of is promise. "Lemme see Charlie."

Nyota brought the little girl over, setting her down on Melanie's lap, before waving to her friend. "I'm gonna start putting your clothes in the closet."

Melanie nodded, "I bought hangers yesterday," she said. "They're in the bag on the couch."

Once Nyota moved out of the kitchen, Melanie turned her attention back to the computer. "So, everything's okay over there? Nothing was broken or anything?"

Chris nodded, "Mel, we have it all under control here," he said. "We should be done by tomorrow and out of here the day after that."

She sighed, "Good," she said, as Charlotte pointed to the screen. "Who's that, Charlie?"

"Pa!" she squealed. "Pa! Pa!"

"Is that Daddy?" Melanie asked her. "What's he doing in the computer, Charlie?"

The little girl squealed and Chris chuckled, "She looks exhausted," he commented. "She'll go down for a nap easily today."

Melanie sighed, "I hope so," she shook her head. "Driving us crazy this one."

"Don't stress out, Mel," he warned her. "Just give her a little bit of lunch and she'll go down for a nap. You should take one too."

"Yes _Doctor _Chris," she rolled her eyes. "I'll make sure to take my nap."

"I just worry about you," he said with a sigh. "Especially when I'm not there to help you."

Melanie shifted Charlotte on her lap, "But you'll be here in two days," she said. "Then you can hover me and unpack everything that I can't."

Chris snorted, "You just want to use me for labor," he shook his head. "At least Jim and Len will help out. They can see the abuse I get from you."

They talked for another twenty minutes, before Charlotte grew restless sitting on her Mother's lap. With the decision to end the call, Chris promised to call them later on after dinner.

…..


	58. Chapter 58

**WINTER 2017- JANURARY **

"She threw a massive temper tantrum after you went off the screen," Melanie said. "Wouldn't even touch the food Nyota put together for her."

Chris groaned, "I hate being away from her for so long," he said. "From both of you."

Later that night, long after Charlotte and Nyota retired for bed, Melanie called Chris up for a late night chat.

"I hate it too," she sighed. "I felt so bad leaving her in the bedroom when she threw her plate onto the floor. The way she was standing on her bed, screaming her head off? I felt like the worst Mother in the world."

"You're not the worst Mother in the world, Mel," he said. "She's only two and you know what everyone says about the terrible two's. Charlie will be fine and she'll get over it."

Melanie shifted under the blankets, "I hope so," she sighed. "I don't think I'll be able to deal with her constant temper tantrums and two screaming infants. Especially all at once."

"We'll get through it, Mel. It'll be tough for the first few years, but we've got our friends," he said. "Len and Jim are fifteen minutes away from us and my parents are a short flight away."

"Speaking of your parents, they sent our wedding photos to the house," she laughed. "They arrived this afternoon, after I spoke to you. I was really skinny when we got married."

Chris snorted, "You weren't that skinny," he insisted. "Just really pale."

"Didn't help that I had morning sickness, starting at the crack of dawn," she huffed. "To this day, I am still surprised at how I managed to keep the vomit down during the ceremony."

He laughed, "Charlotte was destined to start trouble from the moment she was conceived," he sighed. "That girl is going to be a handful when she's older."

"That she is," Melanie agreed. "Moving our wedding up by seven months, making her poor Mother sick for the damn thing and deciding to arrive four weeks early during a hurricane!" she sighed. "In a stairwell no less!"

"If Sophia and Olivia turn out like their older sister, it's off to boarding school in Switzerland!," he chuckled. "So, what are you doing now?"

Melanie set the phone on speaker so she could pull her hair up into a bun, "I am in bed," she ran her fingers through her hair. "Charlotte is sleeping in her room and Nyota's probably on the phone with Spock in the guest room."

Chris hummed in content, "I'm in bed too," he sighed. "It's lonely without you."

"I'm not having phone sex with you," she snorted, earning a groan in return. "I can't with Nyota in the room across the hall and our daughter who could possibly wake up during it."

"But Mellllll…" he whined, making her giggle. "God, I can't wait to come home."

Melanie settled back against the pillows, "Me too," she agreed. "When I was making the bed this morning, I found the blanket that used to be on your bed in your old apartment."

"The grey and black one?" he asked. "I still have it?"

"Yup," she sighed. "I remember the first time we slept together, and this blanket was on your bed. Remember when you tucked me in after and held me as I fell asleep?"

He chuckled, "I still hold you as you fall asleep," he said. "I hold you when you're sleeping! Can't keep you away from me

Melanie smiled, "Do you remember what you said to me that night?" she asked.

"Of course I do," Chris said softly. "I remember, as you were struggling to keep your eyes open, how remarkably gorgeous you were. Then I told you how lucky I was, finding you; how you didn't run away because I was an old, miserable man, slightly bitter from his divorce that happened ten years previously."

"And then you released a sex obsessed demon in me," she sighed happily. "And now we have proof of how obsessed I am, since I have two offspring's in my uterus and one running about."

Chris snorted, "You always turn something so romantic, into something so crude."

She giggled, "But it's one of the reasons why you decided to spend the rest of your life with me. Right?" she asked.

"That and your ass," he said nonchalantly, making her scoff. "What? You have a nice ass! It's very soft and makes for a nice pillow."

"Well I'm glad you enjoy my ass," she scoffed. "Because it'll never be the same after I push out these two kids."

Chris laughed, "It'll still be a nice ass," he said. "I don't care what happens to it, Mel. It's mine to touch and do whatever I please, so don't talk down to it."

"Speaking of asses, what happened to my brother and Jim? It's awfully quiet on your end," she noted.

"They went out for dinner and for a walk in the park," Chris sighed. "Around eight-thirty, I believe."

Melanie glanced at the clock on the nightstand, "Chris, that was seven hours ago! They're in Manhattan and this is Jim we're talking about!" she exclaimed, growing frantic. "Oh god, they're probably dead right now!"

Chris chuckled, "Relax Mel! Len texted me before I called you and said he and Jim were going to be back late."

"What could they possibly be doing this late at night? In Central Park no less?" she rolled her eyes.

"Could your brother's plans for asking Jim to marry him, be of any inkling?" Chris asked.

Melanie gasped, "He.. Len is proposing to Jim TONIGHT?" she covered her mouth, letting out a muffled shriek. "OHMYGOD! Do you think Jim said yes? Oh god, what if he said no and Len murdered him? Wait, maybe he did say yes and they're having kinky sex somewhere in the park."

Chris groaned, "I really don't want to picture your brother and Jim having sex," he huffed. "Please, I had a really nice image of you in my head and now you've ruined it."

"Sorry!" she winced. "I just can't believe my brother wants to get married! Especially to Jim, who ages him everyday by five years."

"I still can't believe that they're together," he laughed. "You'd think Jim would've matured fully over the last two years, but he still acts like a child. Though, I am impressed at how he's been with Joanna. Even with Charlie, since we've moved back."

Melanie nodded, "He loves kids and he loves Joanna so much."

Chris agreed, "I wonder if they'll have one together," he wondered. "Maybe one that's a splitting image of Jim this time."

She snorted, "One blue-eyed, blonde is enough," she said, yawning.

"You should go to bed," Chris noted. "It's getting late on both of our ends, and I know for a fact that Charlie will be busting the door down at six for breakfast."

Melanie groaned, "Don't remind me," she huffed. "Nyota promised her crepes with extra whipped crème and chocolate syrup."

He chuckled, "Kid is so spoiled. Just like her Mommy."

"Well look who spoils us," she shot back. "Her Daddy."

Melanie yawed, "Okay, I'm going to go now," she snuggled further into mattress. "Don't forget to double check all the shelves in the closets and make sure you don't leave any important documents in the office. I left money in your carry on to tip the movers, which is between your socks and that book, which has a very risqué photo of me."

Chris sighed, "Yes dear," he said. "Anything else?"

She smiled, "I love you very much and I can't wait for you come home."

"I love you, too and I can't wait to come home as well," he said. "Give Charlie a kiss for me, as well as the fur babies. They've been feeling neglected the last couple of days with the moving around."

"I will," Melanie promised, as she set her phone on the charger. "Make sure you have my brother call me in the morning, that way I can yell at him for being out so late."

Chris laughed, "I will. I'll call you tomorrow after ten, you're time."

"Sounds good. Love you," she smiled to herself.

"Love you, too. Night baby."

They both hung up and Melanie set the phone down on the nightstand, before reaching up to turn the light off. Settling back down against the new pillows and into the cool sheets, Melanie reached out to pet the cats that curled up on Chris's side of the bed.

"Night babies," she whispered, before curling up under the blankets.

A few minutes later, her phone lit up and buzzed loudly on the nightstand; startling her out of a hazy slumber. Rolling over, Melanie grabbed the phone and squinted at the bright light. Seeing that it was Jim who texted her, Melanie quickly opened the message, fearing the worst. Instead, she was greeted with a photo message along with a video.

Deciding to play the video, Melanie turned the volume up and watched as it loaded.

"Mellie! It's late here and I'm sure you're either sleeping or having ridiculously hot phone sex ,with your ridiculously hot husband," Jim snickered, as he held the phone up to record his face. "But, I have very important news that I needed to tell you."

"Come on, Jim! It's fucking freezing out here and I want to go to bed!" Leonard snapped, making Jim snicker.

Jim glanced at Leonard with a sweet smile, before turning to look back into the camera. "Anyways, Bones and I are getting hitched!" he nearly squealed, holding up his left hand to show off a simple, silver band. "He's got a ring too, which is oddly turning me on. BUT, I just wanted you to know and I can't wait to talk to you tomorrow SISSY!"

Melanie giggled and shook her head, as Leonard snatched the phone from Jim. "I tried to get him to wait until a reasonable hour to call you, but he was too excited," he grinned sheepishly. "But yes, I asked the infant to marry me and he is.. god help me. I hope you're sleeping, because you need all the rest you can get. I'll call you tomorrow morning and don't tell Joanna, because we want to tell her in person."

"BONESSSS, LETS GO HOME AND HAVE SEX!" Jim shouted.

Leonard gritted his teeth, "WE might have a funereal before a weddin'," he hissed. "I love you and I'll call you tomorrow."

The video ended there and Melanie couldn't help but laugh, as she sent a quick message to Jim.

_Congrats and I hope you two have a lovely time, bumpin and grindin under the sheets. Just keep it down so my husband can get his beauty rest. XOXOXO _

She then placed the phone back on the table and laid back down, pulling the blankets up to her chin. The babies took that moment to kick lightly against her belly, making her smile as she reached down to rub the ever-expanding belly lightly. With a content sigh, Melanie settled down and relaxed; the morning was sure to arrive quickly, along with a hyperactive child demanding to be fed.

At that moment, Melanie began to think She thought about how lucky she had gotten, having married a wonderful man; who gave her a beautiful daughter and two more to boot. A mismatched family of diverse individuals, who brought great joy in her life. In-Laws who loved her dearly, as well as her own father who managed to maintain a healthy relationship with her, as well as with Chris and Charlotte.

And then there was Leonard; with his hardened exterior, that would crack away to expose the softened interior. While they still had their moments of fighting and bickering, they'd never go a day without talking to one another. And with children being brought into the picture, the McCoy siblings realized how ridiculous it was to take anything seriously that would warrant in zero communication. Having supportive partners also helped in keeping the peace, when their tempers came out with a severe lashing.

The last thing on Melanie's mind, as she closed her eyes, was how wonderful the future would be for them all.


End file.
